Arrest after Manchester LGBT murals defaced with homophobic graffiti

A man has been arrested on suspicion of defacing two murals of LGBT personalities in Manchester's Gay Village with homophobic graffiti.

The artworks on Richmond Street feature computing pioneer Alan Turing and Drag Race UK star Divina De Campo.

Greater Manchester Police said a 60-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of homophobic and transphobic aggravated criminal damage.

The number 666 and a misspelt expletive were spray painted on to the murals.

Police said the man had been bailed pending further inquiries.

Ch Insp Adam Wignall said: "We take crimes of this nature very seriously. People should be able to go about their daily lives free from hate and abuse and this type of behaviour will absolutely not be tolerated in our communities.

"This believed to be an isolated incident with no wider threat to the community."

Both works - an individual portrait of De Campo and a large work featuring Turing, writer Quentin Crisp and political activist Emmeline Pankhurst on the side of The Molly House pub - were daubed with the same words.

Manchester artists Nomad Clan, made up of Hayley Garner and Jay Gilleard, created the mural on pub eight years ago.

They have already repainted the mural to remove the offensive words.

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