Leghorn, July 1, 2023 – “Fuck LGBT” AND “Pervert“: He Queer Wall Muralinaugurated on June 24 at the Odeon Park in Livorno, has been stained.
The news comes from arcigay through a statement released to all the press in the city.
“Some clearly homolesbobitransphobic people have decided to brutally vandalize the tribute to history and topride of the LGBTQIA+ community”, reads the note.
The mural was promoted by the LED Libertà and Rights Arcigay Livorno association, created by the artist Giulia Bernini aka Oblò from the Uovo Alla Pop Collective in collaboration with the MuraLi association, with the patronage of the Municipality of Livorno and the support of Toscana Pride.
The project for the realization of the work was conceived by the Arcigay Livorno Youth Group with the aim of raising awareness in the city community, especially young people, on the theme of differences through art.
the stained mural
“We received this news with great bewilderment – the press release continues – just one week before Tuscany Pride 2023 that will take place in Florence on July 8 and in which we will participate with even more pride and resistance. In recent months, the LGBTQIA+ community is increasingly under attack and the climate of hate, discrimination and violence is becoming stronger and is also felt on the political side. This act of vandalism is proof that even Livorno, which has been working on LGBTQIA+ issues for years with also the opening of a LGBTQ+ Listening Center (l’Approdo), is no stranger to discriminatory and homosexual/transphobic acts, for so it is important to continue carrying out awareness-raising and training actions on LGBTQIA+ issues. The mural will be restored in the coming days – the statement concludes – and for this reason we ask all citizens to help us bring pride and pride back to Livorno! rainbow that has always characterized us!
the mayor intervenes
“Today with great bitterness we learn that a sordid hand has disfigured it with ignoble writings – is the comment of the mayor of Livorno, Luca Salvetti -. The hand is that homolesbobitransphobia, of intolerance and ignorance to which our community of the city does not does not want to fold, but intends to react. My solidarity and that of the entire administration goes to the LGBTQIA+ community and to the associations that fight to claim their rights. Last year, Livorno showed its colorful, inclusive and united soul during the splendid Pride that illuminated our streets and our promenade, with the enthusiastic participation of many towns and citizens, from Livorno and beyond.This is what we are and this is what we want to continue to be – concludes Salvetti -, always and in any case opposing any manifestation of intolerance unworthy of a civil city. We learned that the mural will be restored in the coming days. Our Municipality will do its part”.
The CGIL press release
“It is with bewilderment and anger that we learned the news of the fouling of the ‘Queer wall’ mural created inside the City Center Park as a tribute to the history and pride of the Lgbtqia+ community. What happened in the last few hours represents an act of cowardice. be strongly condemned, which also happened a few days after the inauguration of the work. Therefore, we express our maximum solidarity and closeness to the promoters of the mural and in general to the entire Lgbtqia+ community “. So wrote Fabrizio Zannotti (general secretary of the CGIL of the province of Livorno) and Giulia Biagetti (policy department of gender and youth of the Cgil of the province of Livorno).
“The CGIL has always been by the side of LGBTQIA+ individuals and families in the fight against homosexuality, transphobia, bullying and all forms of discrimination -they continue-. In this sense, we reiterate that the CGIL province of Livorno adheres with conviction to the Rivellino Pride Festival scheduled for tonight in Piombino and to the Tuscany Pride Festival to be held on July 8 in Florence. It is of the utmost importance that actions are taken to counteract the climate of intolerance towards the LGBTQIA+ community that unfortunately is gradually developing at the national level. Invulnerable acts such as those that occurred against the “Queer wall” mural should not be trivialized or underestimated.”
the democratic party
“This serious act of vandalism reveals how long the road still is towards a truly open and inclusive society,” writes Mia Diop of the Livorno Democratic Party. “There are still many social and cultural walls to break down and battles to continue. We hope that the those responsible as soon as possible and that the necessary measures be taken, and just when we are talking about measures, we remember the seriousness of the murder of the Zan bill, which would have guaranteed severe penalties against discriminatory and homosexual and transphobic people. discriminatory act, our desire and our pride to participate – as every year – in the Pride that will take place in Florence, to which we have already sent the adhesion in the last days”.
“The Democratic Party of Livorno – concludes Diop – does not limit itself to expressing the most sincere solidarity with the Lgbtqia+ community, but is committed to supporting the civilizing struggles that arcigay Livorno has been carrying out in our area for years. On the rights of people, not one step back.”
Refoundation
“The act of vandalism against the Queer wall of the Odeon Park in Livorno is shameful – writes Marco Chiuppesi from Rifondazione -. Our solidarity with Arcigay Livorno and the entire LGBTQIA+ community: the homosexual transphobic defamation of the mural is a hateful act that goes against all the city”.