Sligo Pride has called for members of the LGBTQ community to take extra precautions following suspicious murders of two men in Sligo this week
Gardaí are investigating whether there is a homophobic hate-related motive to the murders, and whether the victims met their attacker online.
Sligo Pride has since urged the LGBTQ community heading to upcoming events including the ‘Rainbow Ball’ and the ‘Pink Friday’ to take extra security precautions.
LGBT Ireland says it is shocked by what it described as ‘the heinous crimes’ perpetrated in Sligo resulting in the deaths of two men.
Paula Fagan, CEO of LGBT Ireland, said this has been a dark week for the LGBTI+ community in Ireland, which is reeling from the vicious homophobic assault on Dame Street in Dublin in recent days and, now, events in Sligo.
It added that these devastating crimes bring to the fore the need for comprehensive hate crime legislation to ensure the LGBTI+ community is safe on our streets, and online.
A local TD says the murders of Michael Snee and Aidan Moffitt have devastated the people of Sligo.
Sinn Féin spokesperson on Justice and Equality Martin Kenny TD has said the Sligo community has been left numb with grief.
Deputy Kenny says with the murders taking place just days after a homophobic attack in Dublin there is fear in the LGBT community.
The Leitrim TD says nobody should have to live with that sense of fear.