Unprovoked attack on drag performers in Cork part of 'troubling rise in anti-LGBT+ rhetoric'

The Cork Gay Project has condemned the attack on Lucina Schynning and Krystal Queer on Sunday night

Krystal Queer was one of the two drag performers attacked in Cork on Sunday night.  Picture: Avril O'Sullivan

Ireland is witnessing a troubling rise in anti-LGBT+ rhetoric fuelled by misinformation and imported hate, an advocacy group has warned, as it condemned an unprovoked attack on two drag performers.

Drag queen Lucina Schynning and Krystal Queer were on Oliver Plunkett St in Cork City on Sunday night, filming a video for social media to promote a drag event this week, when the attack occurred.

Investigations by gardaí continued on Tuesday.

The Cork Gay Project, which supports gay, bisexual, trans and queer men and their families, condemned the incident “in the strongest possible terms”.

“Such an attack is appalling and unacceptable in any society that values equality, dignity, and safety for all its citizens," a statement from the Cork Gay Project said.

“We extend our full solidarity and support to the victims, and we call on An Garda Síochána to investigate this incident with the seriousness it deserves.

“The details of the attackers have been reported, and it is vital that justice is served swiftly and decisively.” 

Hate crimes must never go unpunished, the statement added.

“They are not only attacks on individuals, but assaults on our entire community and on the values of inclusion and respect that Ireland stands for.

In recent years, we have witnessed a deeply troubling rise in anti-LGBTI+ and anti-trans rhetoric, fuelled by misinformation and hate imported from divisive campaigns abroad.

"These narratives have no place here. Ireland’s progress towards equality was hard-won, and we cannot allow imported hatred to erode it.

Lucina Schynning.

“As a community, we must stand united against hate in all its forms: homophobia, biphobia, and transphobia, whether it manifests in the street, the workplace, the pub, or within our own homes. Each of us has a role to play in challenging prejudice and misinformation wherever we encounter it. Silence enables hate, solidarity stops it.”

In a video widely viewed across social media, the two performers can be seen being kicked from behind by a passer-by as they faced the camera while a friend filmed.

In the video, cheers can be heard from others on the street as the passer-by then runs away.

A further altercation then took place off camera with a separate group, during which Krystal Queer was struck across the face with a phone.

“No one intervened, but everyone on the street acknowledged it,” Krystal told the Irish Examiner.

At least five or six people pulled out phones and started filming. The most sickening part was that the initial reaction [from onlookers] was met with positivity. There were laughs, there was cheers. There was flashes going off.

In response to the assault, Labour senator Laura Harmon called for urgent action from justice minister Jim O’Callaghan to “to ensure that everyone in Ireland can feel safe and respected, regardless of who they are".

No one should feel unsafe walking down the street in Cork or anywhere in Ireland, she added.

“This incident is a stark reminder that hate and violence are still very real in our society. The question now is: what is the minister for justice going to do about it? Words are not enough. We need a clear plan of action to make our communities safer for LGBT+ people, for minorities, and for anyone who faces hate or intimidation.”