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Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
Politics
Sarah Waddington & Dave Burke

Labour General Election candidate's office vandalised with homophobic graffiti

A Labour MP candidate has had his city centre office attacked for the third time in a month with sickening homophobic graffiti.

Luke Pollard has vowed to challenge the disgusting behaviour whenever it happens.

He said he "not going to be made a victim of by people with hate in their hearts".

Mr Pollard, who was elected to represent Plymouth Sutton and Devonport in 2017, is standing for re-election on December 12.

The politician wrote:  "My office was graffitied again last night with more homophobic slurs. I've offered to sit down with the individuals who have done this to listen to their concerns; that request has been ignored and they've clearly sent a message here again that they want to continue their homophobic attacks on me.

"I'm not going to be made a victim of by people who have hate in their hearts, nor am I going to let my staff that work so hard from this office, helping people with homelessness, with Universal Credit problems, with housing issues be threatened and feel unsafe going to work."

It is the latest in a string of similar incidents, Plymouth Live reports .

On October 27 an anti-gay slur was daubed on the office windows, just seven days after it had been vandalised.

At the time he praised the "most incredible and positive reaction from people in Plymouth" in response to the incident.

This morning he wrote: "We've already had the police here this morning and I want to thank them for their swift action today. We'll be cooperating fully with them and we'll be seeking to identify the individuals involved in this.

"Hard to read what it says today, but some words are quite clear. There is no place for homophobia, no place for hate, no place for bigotry in our city and it is important that all of us calls it out."

Fellow Plymouth MP candidate Johnny Mercer said in response to the second incident: "This is simply unacceptable in our city.

"Disagree with him all you like - and I do, but I’ll forever defend his right to go about his life without this appalling abuse."

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