Homophobes set fire to rainbow Pride arch in ‘deliberate’ act of hate
Organisers believe the burning of the rainbow arch was “deliberate. (Twitter/ mkpridefestival)
A rainbow arch celebrating Milton Keynes’ LGBT+ community was burned down in what Pride organisers believe was a “deliberate” act.
The rainbow arch, donated by the business improvement district My Milton Keynes, was put up as part of the Milton Keynes Pride festival on Saturday (11 September).
On Monday (13 September), the rainbow arch was found incinerated.
Organisers wrote on Instagram: “MKPF team are extremely saddened to discover that a person or persons have deliberately broken into the Pride site and set fire to the beautiful rainbow arch… The arch had been fenced and secured which means that the incident was undertaken on purpose.”
“Sadly this incident shows that there is still so much work to be done within MK in regards to the homophobia, lesphobia, transphobia and other forms of discrimination the LGBT+ community face,” they added.
https://twitter.com/mkpridefestival/status/1437363948160966661
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My Milton Keynes also shared the heartbreaking photo on social media, and wrote: “We are shocked and saddened to see that our beautiful rainbow flower arch has been destroyed by vandals… We will not let people like this hurt us and will ALWAYS CHOOSE LOVE.”
The LGBT+ community in Milton Keynes and beyond insisted: ‘This is why Pride is still important’
The LGBT+ community in Milton Keynes and beyond took to social media to solidarity with the Pride organisers.
https://twitter.com/IamPaulWhiting/status/1437394215621758979
https://twitter.com/williamtnhall/status/1437417944787701763
https://twitter.com/AlexDoesPiano/status/1437430751784484864
Ben Everitt, the Conservative MP for Milton Keynes North, wrote on Twitter: “Absolutely awful to see this after such a wonderful, positive event full of community and togetherness.”
https://twitter.com/Ben_Everitt/status/1437347106411454464
Owen Hurcum, the non-binary mayor of Bangor, Wales, added: “This hurts, this is an attack against our community and it hurts.
“Yet we will fight for our rights and accepetence without compromise. They can burn our symbols and target our events but they will lose. Love will win. Always. Sending the love MK.”
Thames Valley Police confirmed to MKCitizen that the force was investigating the fire which destroyed the floral rainbow arch.
