By Andy Spearman
Last week’s Pride festival in Drogheda was a major success and very enjoyable for those taking part in all ways but one.
Sadly, the Drogheda Pride, variations of which are held in towns and cities throughout the free world in all countries that value equality, was marred by several incidents of homophobic abuse and hate speech.
Chief organiser Peter Nugent told Drogheda Life that he was shocked by the levels of abuse levelled at members of the LGBTQ community during, and in the run up to, Pride in Drogheda.
“When we were putting up posters and fundraising on our flag day prior to Pride we were subjected to some horrible and disgusting comments” Peter said.
He recounted how, when they were sticking up posters in a Drogheda Café, he and some of his team were rounded on by people calling them disgusting names such as “fucking queers” and threatened them that they better run and hide.
“I am able to take this type of hate speech and abuse” Peter said, “But some of the people who are younger than me have never experienced this type of behaviour before and were really scared by it.
“These young people are going through a difficult time as it is, especially if they haven’t come out yet. Many of them will now be saying to themselves they can’t come out in Drogheda so they’ll move to Drogheda.”
“No young person deserves to be treated in such a disgusting way” Peter said. “What makes these people think they have the right to deny us our LGBT rights?” he asked.
Peter said that the events had been reported to the local Gardaí who are taking the matter very seriously.
Peter is a member of the Pride Council of Europe and fellow members from different countries had expressed their shock at the abuse the Drogheda LGBT community had been subjected to.
They were shocked also that Peter and his committee had received no local authority funding for Pride and had to fundraise around the town instead.
Peter said the level of abuse received this year was the worst in the seven years he has been organising Drogheda Pride but that, while it was extremely upsetting and distasteful, he was determined to carry on.
“There should be no room for such hate in the community but I know that not everyone is homophobic and I have the support of the Mayor and other local leaders which means a lot to me” he said.
“In previous years I felt great joy at seeing gay people enjoying themselves with no inhibitions at Pride but this year this joy was tinged with a sense of unease.”
Peter told Drogheda Life that he will not give up his campaign to allow the local LGBT community to enjoy the rights that Irish law gives them and has decided to hold “Call it Out” events in the near future to hammer home the message that it is not okay to deny people their rights.
