Ugandan gay activist's funeral marred by protest

An anti-gay protester created a commotion at the funeral Friday for a prominent activist slain in Uganda, yelling out homophobic phrases that led to a scuffle with mourners attending the burial. Hundreds of people attended the services for David Kato, who was bludgeoned to death earlier this week at his home in Uganda's capital. Police had to intervene after a homophobic outburst from Anglican priest Thomas Musoke led to a scuffle midway through Friday's funeral, and Musoke was escorted away. While no one was hurt in the melee, gay rights campaigners said they had received threats that their cars would be stoned as they left the service. Kato's killing comes after a year of stepped up threats against gays in Uganda, where a bill has proposed the death penalty for some homosexual acts. However, Ugandan authorities say his sexual orientation had nothing to do with his death, and that he was slain by robbers. In a statement earlier this week, police said they had arrested one suspect and were looking for another. But gay rights campaigners at the funeral insisted that Kato's death was linked to his activism and that the government had failed to protect gays in the country.