Kirkcaldy LGBT+ hub target of vandalism for fifth time

Staff members at The Hive on Whytescauseway were sickened to discover the building daubed with spray paint, and toothpaste smeared on windows upon arriving at the premises on Tuesday.

Stuart Duffy, from Pink Saltire, said: “There was toothpaste strewn over one of the windows, and spray paint on the building. That’s the fourth or fifth incident since we opened in June.”

He said that more has to be done to ensure that these incidents stop.

Mr Duffy said: “The challenge for us is not just dealing with vandalism but also with the negative portrayal of the community in the media. There are a lot of negative portrayals of trans people at the moment.

“Sometimes it’s about trying to educate people about how that stuff isn’t right, and to do that we need the help of the police, but response times are really long.

“We’ve reported the incident, but they say that they might come tomorrow and by that time any evidence will be gone."

Sadly, it isn’t the first attack on the hub.

Homophobic abuse was found on the windows of the building last June, before it was targeted twice in one night on Halloween 2022.

According to Mr Duffy, incidents are happening more frequently.

He said: “We had to phone the police last night because someone came in and threatened one of our customers.

“It was a kid who was only 13 years old. He was playing a game of pool with his mates, and people came in off the street and threatened him”.

Police have assured staff at the Hive that patrols in the area will be increased, but Mr Duffy said police resources mean he is aware “there’s not a huge amount they can do”.

A Police Scotland spokesperson said: “Officers in Kirkcaldy have received a report of vandalism at a premises in the Whytescauseway area of Kirkcaldy, which is believed to have taken place on the evening of Monday, 23 January. Enquiries are at an early stage.”

The Hive LGBT+ was the first space of its kind to open in Fife.