It is the latest in a series of homophobic acts to be committed during Pride Month.
A coffee shop in Carlow has had the gay pride flag it put up on its premises cut down and set alight.
The incident occurred in Ballon, with the remains of the burnt flag being discovered by the owners of Café de Mode on Sunday morning. The flag had only been erected on Saturday.
The coffee shop posted on its Facebook page: “It’s a sad Sunday when we arrive at work and find the remains of our pride flag on the ground!
“Prejudice is obviously alive in Ballon, Carlow disgusted by this!”
Café de Mode’s Dave Lloyd told the Carlow Nationalist: “It’s upsetting to think that this happened. I never thought that I’d have to take the flag in at night, when the café was closed, especially in a little village like Ballon.”
However, chairman of the Carlow Gay Pride Festival John Paul Payne has arranged for a new pride flag to be sent to Café de Mode, with Lloyd stating: “We’re getting a new flag, so we’ll fly it as soon as we get it to show support. Love is love, after all.”
Payne, meanwhile, told the Carlow Nationalist about the flag burning: “It feels so violent to do something like that to such a peaceful symbol.
“It’s so counterproductive to do something like that because, really, people are reaching out to support us, so our community is actually made stronger and grows because of things like this.”
Earlier this month, in two separate incidents, Pride flags in Waterford City were also cut down and set on fire.
Also in June, homophobic graffiti was sprayed near Dublin’s PantiBar.
Images via Cafe de mode/Facebook
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