Livorno, July 1, 2023 – “Fuck LGBT” And “Perverse“: The Queer muralwhich was inaugurated on June 24 at the Odeon Park in Livorno has been daubed.
The message comes from Arcigay through a press release distributed to the entire city press.
“Some openly homolesbo and transphobic people have decided to brutally destroy the homage to history and historyPride of the LGBTQIA+ community‘ the note said.
The mural was promoted by the LED Libertà and Rights Arcigay Livorno association, created by the artist Giulia Bernini aka Oblò of the Uovo Alla Pop collective in collaboration with the MuraLi association, under 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 Young Group of Arcigay Livorno with the aim of sensitizing the urban community, especially the youth, through art to the theme of differences.
The smeared mural
“It is with great dismay that we receive this news,” the press release continues, “just a week before Toscana Pride 2023, which will take place in Florence on July 8 and which we will attend with even greater pride and resistance. “ In recent months, the LGBTQIA+ community has come under increasing attack and the climate of hate, discrimination and violence is becoming stronger and is also making itself felt on the political side. This act of vandalism is proof that even Livorno, which has been dealing with LGBTQIA+ issues for years and is also a LGBTQ+ Listening Center (l’Approdo), is not immune from discriminatory and homosexual/transphobic acts, which is why it is important continue to conduct awareness and training activities on LGBTQIA+ issues. The mural will be restored in the coming days – concludes the statement – and for this reason we ask all citizens to help us bring back to Livorno the pride and the rainbow that have always marked us!
The mayor intervenes
“Today we learn with great bitterness that a dirty hand has defaced it with unworthy writings – comments the mayor of Livorno, Luca Salvetti –. The hand is that homolesbobitransphobia, of intolerance and ignorance, to which our urban community will not bow, but rather want to react. My solidarity and that of the entire administration goes to the LGBTQIA+ community and the associations fighting for their rights. Last year, Livorno showed its colourful, inclusive, united soul during the magnificent Pride that illuminated ‘Our Streets and Our Seafront 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 resisting any manifestation of it.” Intolerance unworthy of a bourgeois city. We learn that the mural will be restored in the next few days. Our community will do its part.”
The CGIL press release
“It is with dismay and anger that we learn of the pollution of the ‘Queer Wall’ mural, created in City Center Park as a tribute to the history and pride of the Lgbtqia+ community. What has happened in the last few hours is a cowardly act to be strongly condemned, which also happened a few days after the inauguration of the work. We therefore express our greatest solidarity and closeness to the promoters of the mural and in general to the whole Lgbtqia+ community.” This was written by Fabrizio Zannotti (General) (Secretary of the CGIL Province of Livorno) and Giulia Biagetti (Department of Youth and Gender Policy of the Cgil Province of Livorno).
“The CGIL has always stood with LGBTQIA+ individuals and families in the fight against homosexuality, transphobia, bullying and all forms of discrimination,” it said. In this regard, we reiterate that the CGIL Province of Livorno adheres with conviction to the Rivellino Pride Party, to be held tonight in Piombino, and to the Toscana Pride, to be held in Florence on July 8th. It is extremely important that action is taken to counteract the climate of intolerance towards the LGBTQIA+ community that is unfortunately gradually developing at the national level. Invulnerable acts, such as those that took place against the mural “Queer Wall”, should neither be played down nor underestimated.”
The Democratic Party
“This serious act of vandalism shows how long the road to a truly open and inclusive society is,” writes Mia Diop of the Livorno Democratic Party. “There are still many social and cultural walls to be broken down and struggles to be continued. We hope that those responsible will be identified as soon as possible and that the necessary measures will be taken. And it is precisely when we talk about measures that we remember the seriousness associated with the killing of the Zan Law, which would have guaranteed harsh penalties against discriminatory and homosexual and transphobic people. In the face of this serious discriminatory act, it is our desire and our pride , like every year, to take part in the Pride that will take place in Florence and to which we have already sent the approval in the last few days.”
“The Democratic Party of Livorno,” Diop concludes, “does not limit itself to expressing the most sincere solidarity with the Lgbtqia+ community, but undertakes to support the civilizing struggles that Arcigay Livorno has been waging in our region for years. It’s about people’s rights, not ‘take a step back’.
start-up
“The act of vandalism against the queer wall of Odeon Park in Livorno is shameful,” writes Rifondazione’s Marco Chiuppesi. “Our solidarity with Arcigay Livorno and the entire LGBTQIA+ community: the homosexual and transphobic smearing of the mural is a hateful act that offends the whole city”.