Anti-LGBTQIA+ group defaces rainbow church steps

On the eve of one of the world’s biggest LGBTQIA+ celebrations, a group has used paint to vandalise rainbow church steps.

A small but vocal group targeting the LGBTQIA+ community have defaced the steps of a progressive church in protest.

On the eve of Saturday’s Mardi Gras parade in Sydney, a group of men used grey paint to cover up the rainbow steps of a Sydney church. The celebration was the centrepiece of the 2023 WorldPride festival.

Video of the incident, obtained by NCA NewsWire, shows the group splashing grey paint over the rainbow steps leading up to the Pitt Street Uniting Church in Sydney’s CBD, before using rollers to completely cover any colour that could be seen.

A group of men, believed to be Lebanese Maronite Christians, defacing the rainbow steps of the Pitt Street Uniting Church.

One man can be heard saying “Yeah boys … f**k LGB [sic].”

Another video, believed to be from the same group, shows an unseen man filming as he harasses two older church workers as they painted the rainbow steps.

“Is God for this?” asks the man filming. “Of course He is,” responds a woman carrying out the painting, “absolutely, God is for love, for welcome, for hospitality. God is very positive for this, we feel.”

The steps painted rainbow prior to the vandalism.

After some back and forth, the woman politely asks the man to stop filming, and he walks away.

Two more videos show men, again believed to be a part of the same group, being barred from entering the same church by police officers.

Police stopped the man from entering the church for mass, despite his protests.

The incidents coincided with the WorldPride events happening around Sydney, with Pitt Street Uniting Church holding pro-LGBTQIA+ services.

On Saturday, the church held a special service celebrating “queer Christians and allies from across the denominational spectrum”, with gay faith leader, Jayne Ozanne.

Ms Ozanne said it was a ‘sad’ act done by “some zealous Christians”.

“I reminded them that light dispels darkness & perfect love casts out fear,” she shared on Twitter.

Really good to be able to take part in blessing the Christians at Pride at start of @sydneymardigras

Sadly some zealous Christians decided to throw paint over their rainbow stairs at Church this morning...I reminded them that light dispels darkness & perfect love casts out fear pic.twitter.com/c8T9JYE79N

— Jayne Ozanne 🇺🇦 (@JayneOzanne) February 25, 2023

The men in the video do not identify themselves, although police officers at times refer to one of the men repeatedly as “Chris.”