Melbourne’s iconic gay bar and hotel, The Laird, was subjected to a disturbing act of homophobic vandalism over the weekend, with hateful graffiti appearing on and around the building early Sunday morning.
Neighbours alerted staff to slurs, including the word “FAG” spray-painted on the venue’s doors, and an image of outlaw Ned Kelly with the caption “Ned hates Fags” painted along Henry Street in Abbotsford.
The Laird, a well-known safe space for cis and trans men who have sex with men, acted swiftly, reporting the incident to Victoria Police and the City of Yarra’s graffiti removal team. In the meantime, a staff member covered the offensive tags with rainbow pride flags to shield patrons from the abuse.
“We are very grateful to our neighbours for letting us know about the vandalism so quickly,” a staff member said. “It’s never a good thing to see, but we were able to hide it, contact the authorities and do something about it.”
Co-owner Brett Lasham noted the emotional toll such acts can take. “Some people may be hardened to things like this. But it can still be triggering when it’s our safe space.”
The Laird used its social media platforms to prepare patrons for changes to the venue’s appearance before its regular Sunday Social event. “We had some vandalism overnight that you don’t need to see when coming to relax and hang with friends,” the venue wrote. “Leave it be. City of Yarra graffiti removal is on the case, and they were caught on our security cameras.”
Victoria Police are investigating, and LGBTQIA+ Liaison Officers visited the venue to check on staff and assist with compiling evidence. Other community establishments also reported similar incidents, including Eagle Leather, which had “God Hates Fags” scrawled on its building. They removed the graffiti but declined to comment.
The Ned Kelly image seen at The Laird also appeared outside the Holocaust Museum in Elsternwick the same weekend, suggesting the vandalism was not random but a coordinated, targeted attack.
The Laird recently hosted a community forum on increasing homophobic violence, particularly threats emerging through dating apps. This incident underlines the growing trend of hate crimes targeting LGBTQIA+ individuals and spaces.
Joe Ball, Victorian Commissioner for LGBTQIA+ Communities, condemned the attack. “This is a tough time for our community,” Ball said. “We are seeing a wave of attacks—not just online, but in our streets, on public transport, in homes and in schools.”
“The backlash against drag storytime was a warning. It’s all connected—violence, abuse, hate speech. We must stand up for each other.”
Despite the hateful messages, the Laird remained open, reinforcing the importance of community resilience. “We will not be intimidated,” Ball stated. “We will defend our spaces and each other, together.”
Shockingly, the venue was tagged a second time on Sunday before 9 pm, though the graffiti did not contain homophobic content. The City of Yarra has been notified, and more security footage has been handed over to police.
