Haters Win! Melbourne’s Shrine Of Remembrance Cancels Rainbow Lights
The plans to light up the colonnades of Melbourne’s iconic landmark Shrine Of Remembrance in rainbow lights on Sunday evening to honour LGBTQI veterans was scrapped.
In the end the hate and threats directed at the Shrine staff forced the management to cancel the plans. “Over several days, our staff have received and been subject to sustained abuse and, in some cases, threats,” Shrine CEO Dean Lee told Star Observer in a statement. “We have seen something of what members of the LGBTIQ+ community experience every day.
It is hateful.”3AW host Neil Mitchell and former Liberal candidate Katherine Deves railed against plans for the Shrine of Remembrance to be lit in rainbow colours to honour LGBTQI veterans.Among those who opposed the plans were former Liberal candidate Katherine Deves, who railed that the Shrine was being “used to promote divisive political ideologies.”3AW host Neil Mitchell, claimed the rainbow flag was “divisive” and that the Shrine would be “lit up like a gay billboard”. “In the interests of minimising harm, we have given this matter careful consideration and sought the guidance of the Shrine’s partners and friends, including veteran associations, representatives of the LGBTIQ+ veteran community and the Victorian Government,” said Lee. “The stories we seek to tell.
