Welcome to Great Southern sign on Muir Highway graffitied with vile anti-LGBTQIA hate message
A shocking piece of anti-LGBTQIA+ graffiti defacing a sign welcoming tourists into the Great Southern has been slammed as 'deeply disappointing' and 'repulsive' by the Albany mayor and Pride representatives.
The welcome to the Great Southern sign, located on Muir Highway in the Shire of Plantagenet, was seen to have the words 'Deport Queers' written out in red spray paint on Friday.
A crew from Main Roads WA attended to paint over the offensive graffiti later that day.
City of Albany mayor Greg Stocks condemned the graffiti, saying the city, as the Great Southern's most populous local government, was proud to be an 'inclusive and welcoming community'.
'We do not condone hateful or discriminatory language in any form, and the graffiti on this sign is deeply disappointing,' he said.
'Albany is home to one of regional Western Australia's largest Pride festivals, and we are committed to celebrating diversity and standing with our LGBTIQA+ community.
'We are committed to ensuring this region is a place where everyone can live and belong without fear of discrimination.'
Albany Pride spokesperson Tiger Bird labelled the message as 'awful' but also 'naive'.
'Obviously this sentiment is malicious and really repulsive but also just ridiculous and stupid,' they said.
'It just shows there's not a lot of intellect behind that sort of ideology because where are you going to deport them to?
'I don't think the person knows how deportation works or what it means.'
The spokesperson said they were grateful that Mr Stocks 'succinctly' and 'forthrightly' condemned the message, noting it did not give the town a good reputation for incoming tourists.
'If (tourists) are coming down that highway cause they've been on the West Coast or from Adelaide what are they going to think?' they said.
'They're just going to say bloody hell, it's the town from (the film) Deliverance — it's just not doing anyone any favours.
'You don't want to see swastikas or swearing as you're driving, and no one should want that for our town either, even if you might agree with the sentiment.'
The Shire of Plantagenet declined to comment.
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