Monday, August 8, 2011

Brody's Notes... London's Famed 'Gay's The Word' Bookshop Vandalised

Vandalised storefront of Gay's The Word, London, UK.
Photo via PinkNews UK
By Brody Levesque | LONDON, UK -- The staff of London's famed 'Gay's The Word' bookshop arrived for work at the store Monday morning to find the front window smashed and that the storefront had been vandalised with eggs.
In an interview with PinkNews UK, the store's assistant manager Uli Lenart said that Metropolitan police indicated that several witnesses reported seeing a group of youths “rampaging” up and down the street at around 12.30am and throwing eggs at another store.
Lenart told the PinkNews that according to the police, the youths who were on bicycles, had apparently left the area on Marchmont Street and then reappeared ten minutes later with a rock and a bottle, which they threw through the shop’s front window before escaping.
Metropolitan police are continuing their investigation.
The PinkNews reported:
The shop, which is 33 years old, was not raided and Mr Lenart said he was unsure of the cost of the damage.
Mr Lenart said he did not know whether the shop was attacked because it is a gay store, but pointed out that no other shops in the area had their windows smashed.
He said: “They were apparently laughing their heads off as they smashed the window. One can’t jump to conclusions but the facts are there.”
He added: “We are just relieved that the rock wasn’t followed by a match.”
Gay’s the Word decided to stay open for trading today and Mr Lenart said staff had been touched by the kindness and support of local people, some of whom brought in bunches of flowers.

1 comments:

Trab said...

In defense, if it is defensible at all, I must point out that the riots are hitting lots of businesses and undoubtedly residences too. It is pretty sad, but I doubt if it is targeted .