Police are investigating a break-in and vandalism at a bar on 18th Avenue in Northwest D.C. referred to as Sinners and Saints.
The house owners mentioned the bar is a protected area for these part of the Queer, transgender, Black, Indigenous and individual of coloration group.
“The complete mission of the enterprise is to guarantee that we see that group, we’re part of that group and we need to guarantee that the protected area is created for that group,” mentioned Blair Nixon, the final supervisor of Sinners and Saints.
That mission of inclusivity was violated early Friday when police say a suspect broke into the bar and vandalized it.
“Disheartening is de facto the very best phrase,” Nixon mentioned.” We attempt to create protected areas for underrepresented and marginalized communities.”
Nixon was the primary one to the scene. He mentioned he found the harm left behind by the suspect.
“Positively noticed the Shattered Glass,” he mentioned. “It was a very huge mess. After which clearly noticed the message written on the wall.”
The message was described by police as anti-LGBTQ hate speech.
The vandalism and housebreaking comes through the celebration of Black Delight within the District, a time devoted to a group that some say is commonly forgotten.
“What all the time occurs is that the adoption of, you realize, LGBT folks comes first, after which the adoption of the QTBIPOC — so speaking about trans, Black folks, individuals of coloration — all the time lags behind.
Each the and QTBIPOC and LGBTQ+ communities say they’ve considerations in regards to the celebration of Delight occasions by way of the following couple of weeks within the nation’s capital as a result of among the actions and feedback by the Trump administration — together with the navy ban on transgender service members and requiring passports to match an individual’s intercourse at delivery.
It’s a key cause why Nixon says locations like sinners and saints should be open.
“The present political local weather is de facto scary, and that is one of many explanation why we care a lot in regards to the area, and we attempt to do all the pieces that we are able to do to verify it is a protected area,” Nixon mentioned.
The Metropolitan Police Division is asking anybody with details about the case to contact them.
