Gay Village mural defaced with homophobic graffiti

Ru Paul's Drag Race star Divina De Campo posted about the homophobic graffiti on Instagram

A mural of Ru Paul's Drag Race star Divina De Campo has been defaced with homophobic abuse for a second time.

The performer saw the graffiti on a mural in Manchester's Gay Village on Sunday while walking back from the Sparkle trans festival weekend.

Created in 2019 to mark De Campo's appearance in the first series of Ru Paul's Drag Race, it was vandalised in 2021.

"It does make you feel less safe. It brings it home that there are still people out there who want to hurt you," said De Campo.

Divina De Campo said Manchester's gay village was a place where LGBTQ+ people feel safe

In a post on Instagram page, De Campo said: "We still live in a world where people think this is ok.

"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!

"The Gay Village is one of the few safe spaces in the whole country really.

"It's a place where LGBTQ+ people can really feel safe."

De Campo said LGBTQ+ hate crime had risen year on year over the past decade and accused some politicians of "using trans and gay people as a political football".

Councillor Garry Bridges, deputy leader of Manchester City Council, said Manchester was "a tolerant city that celebrates the diversity of the people who live here".

He said Manchester was proud of its Gay Village and its welcoming attitude to LGBT+ people.

"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 added.

Mr Bridges said the council was urgently contacting the artist and building owners to discuss the best way of getting the graffiti removed as soon as possible.

"We will continue to make clear that our city is welcoming and inclusive," he added.

The BBC has approached the Department of Health and Social Care and Greater Manchester Police.