Man who vandalised George Micheal mural found guilty of malicious damage (video)

Ben Gittany, guilty of malicous damage

A man who vandalised the George Micheal mural in Sydney's Newtown at the end of last year by painting black over the top of it (and who was praised by Lyle Shelton for doing so - then head of the Australian Christian Lobby) has been found guilty of malicious damage in court yesterday. Ben Gittany will be sentenced in September.

The magistrate reminded Gittany of the church's place in Australian society and that religious offence is no excuse for vandalism. Certainly a major victory for LGBT people in Australia, with the postal survey aftermath being one where some churches are trying to assert themselves in ways that aren't fitting in a secular society. 

Some Christians are pushing back against LGBT people after we won the postal survey, with this case being one in point. The guy wasn't even from Newtown, but part of a gay hating church in western Sydney who traveled to Newtown to specifically vandalise the mural. Such was the licence he felt his religion gave him.

The irony is that people like Lyle Shelton are always banging on about freedom of speech, but yet Shelton praised the blacking out of this mural.

Gittany believed this was disrespectful to his religious beliefs and took to the Newtown mural in Sydney’s inner west with a can of black paint.

 But onlookers caught him on camera vandalizing the beautiful mural and posted the video to Facebook.

 In sentencing, Magistrate Carolyn Huntsman found Gittany guilty of malicious damage and said his religious beliefs were not justification for the vandalism.

 She struck down his partial justification due to a perceived offence to his religious beliefs and told the Newtown Court: ‘We live in a pluralistic society.’

 Artist Scott Marsh created the mural back in January last year.

 He told Gay Star News on the decision today: ‘Its a great result and I’m sure a huge relief for everyone in that local community.’

 A ‘huge crew of queers’ were present at the court today, dressed in t-shirts with the George Michael mural printed on the front.

 Simon Hunt (also known as Pauline Pantsdown) was present today and believes the decision is a ‘wonderful outcome’.

 He told Gay Star News: ‘Magistrate Carolyn Huntsman noted his actions as having been harmful to the LGBTIQ community; recognized our queer iconography as valuable; and declared art to be a tangible thing.’

 Good friends of George Michael and residents of the property (who wish to remain anonymous after receiving ‘heavy death threats’) gave evidence in court today.

 One of the residents told Gay Star News: ‘Court today was amazing.  

 ‘We got to address the fact that the mural was our way of commemorating our friend,’ the resident said. ‘How the mural became a place for people to come and both grieve and celebrate George’s life.


‘We spoke to the pain we and our community have been through.

 ‘This mural was never about attacking religion – it was about honoring our friend and community icon.

 ‘The mural framed him as a saint because he is a saint for us,’ the resident said. Gay Star News

              
 *Watch complete video here on Facebook

The incident happened soon after this first mural was vandalised:

Newtown police described as "visibly shocked" last night when receiving images of violent threats by vigilante group "Christian Lives Matter", who are being monitored. Lyle Shelton has doubled down on his support, despite criticism from Leichhardt mayor for encouraging crime. pic.twitter.com/PpEMFhlM4W

— Pauline Pantsdown (@PPantsdown) November 21, 2017