Irish gay bar defaced with Nazi & homophobic graffiti (PHOTOS)
Ireland’s most well-known gay bar was defaced with homophobic slurs and a swastika, some two years after the country passed a milestone marriage equality law.
The George, in the center of Dublin, was branded with a chalk-written swastika and several anti-gay slogans in the early hours of Saturday morning.
#TheresWorkToBeDone#lgbtq#LGBTQIA#rights@TheGeorgeBar 🤦🏼♂️ pic.twitter.com/Ri6cvTlC4L
— Gary Shaw (@shawlerstyle) May 20, 2017
The hateful slurs came as a shock to those who had considered blatant homophobia a thing of the past since Ireland voted to allow same-sex couples to legally marry in 2015.
For those who think that marriage equality settled the issue and that identity politics are over - this happened to The George last night pic.twitter.com/QkOTxWzsoV
— Mary McAuliffe (@MaryMcAuliffe4) May 20, 2017
the george getting vandalised shows us that the marriage ref didn't fix everything. two years on and homophobia is still happening.
— séamus (@seamusthewalrus) May 20, 2017
So The George was vandalised last night with Nazi symbols and hate speech. And people ask why we still need Pride?
— Barry O'Rourke (@orourke28) May 20, 2017
This is said to be the first incident of homophobic vandalism against the bar since the same-sex referendum was passed, according to the bar’s manager, who said the club was often vandalised before the marriage-equality movement.
“Before the referendum our windows at the front would get broken on a regular basis, but since the referendum that hasn’t happened,” Darragh Flynn told the Irish Times.
READ MORE: Bill to ban same-sex marriage in North Carolina filed by GOP legislators
“Things are getting better. It’s not an overnight change, it’s a gradual change, but I believe we are moving towards full acceptance. It will maybe take a generation but it’s getting better.”
"The people who vandalised the George do NOT represent modern Ireland"
— tobias 🐛 (@toebuyuz) May 20, 2017
i'm *super* sorry, but they do to a degree. It hasn't gone away.
Last traces of graffiti being washed off @TheGeorgeBar earlier today. pic.twitter.com/PaWPjeBqcN
— weareDublinTown (@weareDublinTown) May 20, 2017
The man who carried out the vandalism was captured on video by the bar’s three CCTV cameras and was subsequently arrested by Irish police on Saturday, who have launched an investigation.
The Republic of Ireland became the world’s first country to legalize same-sex marriage by means of a popular vote on May 22, 2015.
READ MORE: Ireland becomes first country to approve gay marriage in referendum
