20-YEAR-OLD MAN PLEADS GUILTY TO HOMOPHOBIC ATTACK ON NEW ZEALAND’S ‘BIG GAY PINK’ CHURCH

 | 
7/1/22

A 20-year-old man has pleaded guilty to an anti-semitic and homophobic attack on New Zealand’s famous queer ‘Pink’ church. Gloria of Greymouth, a deconsecrated church building (formerly the St Andrews Anglican church) built in 1939, was bought by poet and artist Sam Duckor-Jones. In 2021, the artist moved into the unused church building, located in Blaketown, Greymouth on New Zealand’s West Coast, painted it pink and transformed it into a performing arts venue. Duckor-Jones has described his vision for Gloria of Greymouth, as a “big gay pink church” filled with 40-50 “papier mache giant” parishoners. Gloria of Greymouth, according to Duckor-Jones is “a celebration of queer silliness & serious camp” and “a temple of non-denominational queer celebration”. On June 2, Duckor-Jones woke up to find that the church was vandalised with homophobic and anti-semitic graffiti and the rainbow flag was lying on the ground burnt. “I am glad that the project is so loved. Especially by folks here in Greymouth. So it was a great disappointment to find that she had been attacked early last Friday morning as I slept inside,” wrote Duckor-Jones, who was raised in a Jewish household. “All along her light pink sides were homophobic & antisemitic signs & words & messages along with christian symbols & scripture & a burned rainbow flag out the front,” said Duckor-Jones. The police charged a 20-year-old and a 21-year old for vandalising the church with graffiti. Two other accused are yet to be charged.

Share this:

Latest Global News

Added on: 12/02/2024
12/02/2024
Georgian Dream’s homophobic and transphobic law “On the Protection of Family Values and Minors,” adopted in September, comes into force on December 2. The repressive law, introduced …
Added on: 12/02/2024
12/01/2024
In Japanese society, prostitution is often framed as a necessary evil – a way to maintain social harmony by providing men with an outlet for …
Added on: 12/02/2024
12/01/2024
A single 15-minute argument in the middle of this week could change Chase Strangio’s life – and the lives of so many people like …

Explore LGBTQ+ Issues