Divina de Campo speaks defiantly after her mural is vandalised again: ‘We’re not going anywhere!’
"When people say that you don't need Pride, we still have this happening"
A mural of RuPaul’s Drag Race UK star Divina de Campo has been vandalised in Manchester a second time.
The mural depicts de Campo (they/she/he) in their iconic red wig. It was painted on Richmond Street in Manchester’s Gay Village in 2019 to celebrate de Campo being on Drag Race UK. It was first defaced in 2021.
Posting a short video on Instagram on Tuesday (16 July) de Campo commented: “So, here’s a thing. When people say that you don’t need Pride, we still have this happening. What a world.” The video clearly shows a circle drawn in the centre of de Campo’s head with the word “DIE” inscribed below. On de Campo’s nose and cheek are the words “F**S FUCK OFF!”
In the caption for the post de Campo wrote: “We still live in a world where people think this is ok. I’m so disappointed by the people in power who have given credence to those who do this and those who hate us. We still need pride more than ever.” They also wrote: “I’ll get it sorted so we don’t have this sort of stuff written about us in the village. We’re not going anywhere!”
“We’re not going anywhere!” – Divina de Campo
Speaking to the Manchester Evening News after posting about the vandalism de Campo said moves like those by Labour’s new Health Secretary, Wes Streeting, to permanently ban puberty blockers for under-18s “emboldens bigots.” In a comment last week, Streeting said: “I am treading cautiously in this area because the safety of children must come first.”
As per the BBC, Councillor Garry Bridges of Manchester City Council, reminded all LGBTQ+ people they are welcome in the city. “I know that all rightminded Mancunians will be saddened that anyone would use this horrific, offensive language and deface this mural in the Gay Village. It is totally unacceptable,” he said.