Nearly two years since well-known San Francisco drag performer and community activist Heklina was found dead in a London apartment, demonstrators in both cities gathered Monday and accused London authorities of dragging their feet in the investigation into the suspicious death. In London, demonst rators marched from Big Ben to Metropolitan Police headquarters and called on investigators to do more. Leading the demonstration was fellow San Francisco performer Joshua Grinnell, known on stage as Peaches Christ. “I just wanted to lay out why we’re here today and why Heklina deserves better service,” Grinnell said. Grinnell was the person who found Stefan Grygelko, also known as Heklina, on the floor of their shared flat in London. They were there to perform a show together. “When I pushed my key up into the door, it was very obvious that the door wasn’t even shut all the way,” Grinnell said. “It just opened itself without turning the knob or anything. That was odd. I thought, ‘Oh, God, she left the door totally open.'” He found his friend dead – in full drag – and called police. Two years later, he’s leading the charge for answers in what he said has been an investigation London police have largely ignored until recently. In January, police released two CCTV videos of three men who inspectors said were at Grygelko’s flat in the hours before he was found dead. Grinnell believes police only did that after he reached out to the British media. He said investigators flew to meet him in San Francisco last week ahead of Monday’s planned protests. “That sickened me that that’s what it took to get them to respond,” he said. The demonstration for Heklina was set to continue Monday evening in San Francisco, beginning at The Stud. “Tonight isn’t just about justice for Heklina,” San Francisco organizer Bobbie Barber said. “I think I want people to vent their frustrations about the Trump administration, about everything, anti-drag laws and anti-trans laws.” Barber said Monday night’s drag shows and a silent march through the South of Market neighborhood are something he knows Heklina would have done under similar circumstances. ...read more read less