It said the crimes bring to the fore the need for comprehensive hate crime legislation.
LGBT Ireland has said it is “shocked” and “deeply saddened” following the murders of Aidan Moffitt and Michael Snee in Sligo in recent days.
On Tuesday (12 April), Gardaí opened an investigation in relation to the murder of Mr Moffitt, 42.
Gardaí were called to a house at Cartron Heights at around 8.30pm on Monday evening, where his body had been discovered, having received “significant physical injuries”.
On Tuesday night, Gardaí were called to an apartment at Connaughton Road in Sligo at approximately 10.30pm, where the body of Mr Snee, 58, was discovered.
Mr Snee had also received significant physical injuries.
Following local enquiries, Gardaí assisted by the Armed Support Unit arrested a male in his early 20s in Sligo Town on suspicion of murder in the early hours of Wednesday morning.
Gardaí have said they are investigating whether there is any hate-related motive for the murders and if Michael and Aidan met their attacker online.
In a statement on Wednesday, LGBT Ireland said it is shocked by the “heinous crimes”.
“This has been a dark week for the LGBTI+ community in Ireland,” CEO of the organisation Paula Fagan stated.
“We are still reeling from the vicious homophobic assault on Dame Street in Dublin in recent days and, now, we are deeply saddened by events in Sligo. Our thoughts are with the victims and their loved ones.
“These devastating crimes bring to the fore the need for comprehensive hate crime legislation, and I – along with other sectoral representatives – will be speaking with lawmakers over the coming days to stress the need for them to redouble their efforts and ensure the forthcoming legislation is effective, comprehensive and enacted with urgency.
“The LGBTI+ community has the right to feel and be safe on our streets, and online.”
Fagan also said that the “focus of recent events must remain firmly on the perpetrators of violence against LGBTI+ people”.
“These crimes are on the extreme end of a spectrum of violence experienced by the LGBTI+ community and highlight the vulnerabilities and very real fears of the wider community,” the CEO added.
“In 2021 our National LGBT Helpline received 21 calls because of violence, and we fear that many more people do not report hate incidents to us or to the Gardaí, due to the normalisation of homophobia and transphobia in society.
“Work done by the Hate and Hostility Research Group at the University of Limerick in 2019, revealed that one in five of those surveyed had been punched, hit or physically attacked in public for being LGBTI+ and one in three had been threatened with physical violence.
“These statistics are stark reminder of the violence that our community still faces.
“We know that the events in Sligo and Dublin over the past week will have left members of the LGBTI+ community reeling.
“Our helpline is available to all those in need of support.”
The National LGBT Helpline is available on freephone 1800 929 539, seven days a week from 6.30pm to 10pm on Mondays to Thursdays, from 4pm to 10pm on Fridays and from 4pm to 6pm on Saturdays and Sundays.
The organisation also appealed to the general public to assist Gardaí with their enquiries and investigation.
Those with information about the crimes are urged to contact Sligo Garda Station at the dedicated Incident Room phone number 071 9157088, the Garda Confidential Line on 1800 666 111 or any Garda Station.
Main image via Eamonn Farrell / RollingNews.ie
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