The Gay Games 10 are finishing up in Paris, France this weekend. The games were created to promote LGBT athletes and sports activities, but also include general cultural events like LGBT film screenings and art festivals.
While the events were going on, something more sinister also happened in Paris this week. Unidentified vandals threw black paint and marked homophobic signage on a plaque that was dedicated to memorializing an executed gay couple from 1750. The couple was burned alive for sodomy, which was a crime at the time.
According to Hornet, the plaque reads, “January 4, 1750. Montorgueil Street between Saint-Sauveur Street and the former Beaurepaire Street where Brune Lenoir and Jean Dio were arrested and sentenced for homosexuality. They were burned at the stake on July 6, 1750. This was the last execution for homosexuality in France.”
La plaque de commémoration des deux derniers homosexuels condamnés à mort en France a été vandalisée une nouvelle fois à Paris. Nous condamnons cet acte #homophobe insupportable dont les auteurs doivent être sanctionnés. Soyons uni.e.s tous, toutes, contre la haine. #LGBT pic.twitter.com/hJvdjlvkch
— SOS homophobie (@SOShomophobie) August 6, 2018
Je suis choquée par cette nouvelle démonstration honteuse d'homophobie ! Cette plaque rend hommage à Bruno Lenoir et Jean Diot, derniers condamnés à mort pour homosexualité. Cet acte ne fait que renforcer notre détermination à lutter contre les discriminations. #LoveWins pic.twitter.com/EuH6c5CeIj
— Anne Hidalgo (@Anne_Hidalgo) August 6, 2018
SOS Homophobie, a French LGBT support organization that deals with homophobia, tweeted (originally in French) about the incident:
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“The commemorative plaque of the last two homosexuals sentenced to death in France was vandalized again in Paris. We condemn this intolerable homophobic act, whose perpetrators must be punished. Let us all be united against hatred. #LGBT”
The Mayor of Paris, Anne Hidalgo, also tweeted about the vandalism.
“I am shocked by this new shameful demonstration of homophobia,” Hildago wrote. “This plaque pays tribute to Bruno Lenoir and Jean Diot, the last to be sentenced to death for homosexuality. This act only reinforces our determination to fight against discrimination. #LoveWins.”