Homophobic Graffiti: a hurtful trend

Each graffiti attack is unique, and the causes and consequences they have. Homophobic attacks must be removed immediately and when we have an emergency like this, we make it our priority. Removing graffiti in Melbourne that hurts vulnerable minorities is something that should never happen, thus we always respond immediately when we are informed about such incidents.

The LGBT community has been strongly shaken from the massacre at the Pulse Club in Orlando on June 12th of this month, where 50 people died and 53 were injured in the incident that was the worst mass shooting in US history.

Presidents from all continents condemned the attack and sent condolences to the affected relatives. Artists, athletes, opinion leaders and millions of people around the world have spoken out on social networks and have also taken to the streets against violence and in favor of equal rights for LGBT people.

However, graffiti and vandalism attacks against the gay community have also increased considerably days after that. One of these graffiti attacks happened in Dupont, Washington. A restaurant had hung around the entire facade two blankets with LGBT rainbow. However, that same night, someone set fire to blankets and put graffiti on the entire entry with blue paint “Down with the gay agenda”.

Other establishments attacked with homophobic graffiti were a hamburger restaurant Mary’s in Chicago. Graffiti was placed in both doors of its bathrooms with “Die fags”. The University of Florida was also attacked with graffiti in the central building of its campus with insults directed at the LGBT community. Both attacks were committed the day after the massacre. We can assume that in various parts of the world they were other graffiti attacks with homophobic messages that simply did not have media coverage.

Here in Melbourne some of the posters of the campaign of candidate Jason Ball were covered with graffiti with the word “FAG”. Ball posted a photo on Facebook with the graffiti attacks with the message “People should not feel intimidated and you should not feel afraid simply because of who you are. No one should feel afraid to hold the hand of their partner in public. I will not be intimidated and I will continue to be who I am because love is love. At the end love always wins.”