Drag artist Crystal has criticised British right-wing politicians and pundits for exploiting the Berlin Pride terror attack to promote Islamophobia, saying the LGBT community does not need their advice. The suspect, Abdul Ballout, was shot dead by police after allegedly attempting to charge at officers with a knife. One person was killed and 29 others injured.
In the op-ed, Crystal recounted exchanging messages with friends in Berlin: "Just woken up and seen the news. Horrible. Is everyone ok?" and receiving a reply that bouncers at Berghain were wearing bulletproof vests. They said they were "very wary of cheering on extrajudicial deaths" and would prefer perpetrators to be held to account in courts.
Right-wing backlash
Crystal took aim at figures such as Nigel Farage, who posted that "the strange left wing alliance between Islamists and the LGBT community cannot last." The author noted Farace once tweeted support for a ban on "poisonous trans ideology in our schools." Another writer said there was "naivety" among the left.
"If the alleged perpetrator in Berlin had been white, the same siren voices urging us to have a reckoning over our tolerance of Muslims would be talking about a troubled individual, a lone wolf, a singular tragedy," Crystal wrote.
Homophobia from white people
Crystal stated that the homophobic abuse they have received in the UK has mostly come from white people, including death threats and slurs. They lived in Whitechapel for four years without incident but were physically threatened twice during one trip to Southend. "I do not blame all people from Southend for this, just as I do not blame all Muslims for an attack allegedly carried out by one of their number against my community in Berlin. Because I am not a bigot," they wrote.
"Islamophobia does not protect queer people," Crystal added, noting that Reform-backed councils have refused to fly Pride flags and defunded celebrations.
Conclusion
Crystal concluded: "I refuse to let our tragedies be used to stoke further division. Those who denigrated our community must never be allowed to use us to attack another minority. Not in my name."
