In the early 1990s, as AIDS tightens its grip on major cities around the world, the relative safety of Montreal’s nightlife becomes a magnet for gay men. But when they start turning up dead in hotel rooms, beaten lifeless in city parks, and violently murdered in their own homes, the queer community has more to fear than the disease. While the city’s police force dithers over the presence of a serial killer, a group of queer activists starts making connections, and rises up to start a movement that would end up changing thousands of lives. Hosted by Francis Plourde. For the best in true crime from CBC, ad-free, visit apple.co/cbctruecrime.
Fingers are pointed at who could have betrayed Darren. Did it come from the inside?
A Friday night in The Parliament bar ends in tragedy. Lives will never be the same again.
While peace transforms the country, the twists continue in the story.
Welcome to The Parliament bar - the beating heart of gay life in nineties Belfast.
Claims about Darren's sexuality bring him trouble with the RUC.
The untold story of the murder of a gay police officer in Northern Ireland in 1997.
The untold story of the murder of a gay police officer in Northern Ireland in 1997.
Belfast 1997. But not just any part of Belfast, gay Belfast. A place you've probably never heard of before. Cigarette smoke, aftershave and expectation fill the air in the only gay bar in the country. Sat having a drink on a night out is Darren Bradshaw. He was just 24 years old when he was shot dead in front of hundreds of people. His brutal murder by terrorists sparked fears of a return to all out violence as the new Labour government under Tony Blair sought to bring peace to Northern Ireland - on the road to the Good Friday Agreement.
This is the untold story of his life and murder. A story of both love and eventually betrayal.
Presenter Jordan Dunbar grew up in the city, he was a comedian and drag performer on the Belfast scene and yet this murder and Darren's life was never talked about.
Following Darren's story brings to life the struggle of being gay in The Troubles, how Belfast got its first Pride parade only in 1991 and its very first openly gay club in 1994 -The Parliament bar where Darren was tragically shot dead.
It's a community surviving as well as thriving against a backdrop of violence and discrimination. He meets the original drag queens, DJs and club pioneers determined to claim back the city centre from the terrorists and create a safe place of their own.
Determined to piece together for the first time how Darren was killed that night and why, Jordan uncovers stories of bigotry, bravery and betrayal.
Years of sustained pressure finally pay off as the policing culture shifts to include activists’ input into their investigations. For transcripts of this series, please visit: https://www.cbc.ca/radio/podcastnews/the-village-the-montreal-murders-transcripts-listen-1.6479960
When one of its priests is found murdered in Montreal, the Anglican Church has to publicly reckon with its sins. For transcripts of this series, please visit: https://www.cbc.ca/radio/podcastnews/the-village-the-montreal-murders-transcripts-listen-1.6479960
Faced with a deadly disease, surrounded by death, AIDS activist Roger Leclerc resorts to controversial tactics to confront discrimination and violence against gays and lesbians. For transcripts of this series, please visit: https://www.cbc.ca/radio/podcastnews/the-village-the-montreal-murders-transcripts-listen-1.6479960
A married man is murdered while on a business trip in Montreal. The case highlights the challenges of investigating the murders. Delayed investigations and unsolved cases are a dear price to pay when a serial killer may be on the loose. For transcripts of this series, please visit: https://www.cbc.ca/radio/podcastnews/the-village-the-montreal-murders-transcripts-listen-1.6479960