Holocaust memorial dedicated to LGBT victims of World War Two vandalised with homophobic slur
The Tel Aviv memorial was completed in 2014 and is a pink triangle to represent Holocaust victims
By Steve Brown
A Holocaust memorial dedicated to LGBT victims has been vandalised with a homophobic slur in Tel Aviv.
Vandals spray-painted the words, ‘Death to LGBT’ on part of the memorial, which was completed in 2014 and is a pink triangle to represent those who were made to wear it in concentration camps during World War Two.
The memorial’s inscription reads: “In memory of those persecuted by the Nazi regime for their sexual orientation and gender identity.”
It is estimated that around 100,000 gay men were arrested in Nazi Germany and up to 15,000 were incarcerated in concentration camps.
The homophobic graffiti has now been removed after Tel Aviv’s mayor Ron Huldai condemned the vandalism and called for its immediate removal.
He wrote on Facebook: “I condemn the vandalism of a memorial to members of the gay community who perished in the Holocaust.
“I have issued instructions to immediately erase the graffiti.”
Six hours after his post, Huldai shared an image of the memorial showing the graffiti had been removed.
Tel Aviv – which is set to host next year’s Eurovision Song Contest – has been dubbed “the best gay city in the world” by American Airlines.
The chairperson for Tel Aviv’s Municipal LGBT Community Centre released a statement to reassure Israel’s LGBT+ community: “I am in the heart of the city, in the Meir Garden near the Pride centre I built a decade ago.
“We will not give up our rights, we will continue to fight for our security and equality.”