Labour candidate Luke Pollard has constituency office daubed with homophobic graffiti for second time

Tim Baker13 November 2019
WEST END FINAL

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A Labour Party candidate has had his office daubed with homophobic graffiti for the second time in recent months.

Luke Pollard is currently campaigning to get re-elected as MP for Plymouth Sutton and Devonport after first winning the seat in 2017.

In a video shared on his Twitter page this morning, the 39-year-old revealed he had once again been targeted.

His office in Plymouth town centre had the word "pedo" written on it in spray paint.

It comes after similar marks were left on the office back in October, as well as the words "die Blair" being pained on in the same months.

Mr Pollard revealed that he had offered to sit down and "have a cup of tea" with the people who had made the graffiti and "listen to their concerns". But the offer has not been taken up.

Mr Pollard, who is gay, added: "There's no place for homophobia, no place for hate, no place of bigotry in our city.

"And it is important all of us call it out.

"We have a choice when confronted with rising hate about what we do about it.

"We can dial up the language, we can use militaristic and aggressive terms.

"Or we can seek to lower the temperature, to bring out communities together.

"Because I know that when people see graffiti like this, people themselves can be vulnerable."

Mr Pollard went on to thank Devon and Cornwall Police, Plymouth County Council and a passing Deliveroo cyclist for their help with incident.

A Devon and Cornwall Police spokesman said: "Police are aware of reports of graffiti which has appeared overnight at the offices of MP Luke Pollard in Plymouth.

"Officers have attended the offices this morning and spoken to Mr Pollard and will now continue to make enquiries."

Anyone with information can contact police on 101 quoting log 140 of 13/11/19

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