Anti-LGBTQ+ Group Marches in Sydney Gayborhood During WorldPride

Against the backdrop of Sydney WorldPride, an anti-LGBTQ+ group marched through a traditionally gay neighborhood in Sydney last night.

The march was organized by Christian Lives Matters, and the same group was earlier in the week responsible for harassing an elderly Christian woman painting the steps of her church in the colors of the rainbow and later vandalized the church.

In videos posted to social media, members of the group can be seen marching down Newton Street and reciting the Lord’s Prayer Friday night.

“Huge turnout with the boys praying powerful rosary in Newtown tonight,” Charlie Bakhos, who runs the group’s Facebook page, posted to Instagram.

A spokesperson for the NSW Police told the Star Observer they were aware of the march and that “officers attached to Inner West Police Area Command, along with specialist police resources attended King Street, Newtown, in relation to unauthorized protest activity.”

No arrests were made and there were no reported incidents of violence, but the march left many in the area upset and fearful.

The same group was responsible for harassing an elderly woman who was painting the steps of the LGBTQ-affirming Uniting Church in Sydney in rainbow colors.

“This is an abomination to God,” the man recording the since-deleted video can be heard telling the woman. “Do you read the Bible? Do you read your Bible?”

Bakhos later posted video of the group returning to the church at night and painting over the steps.

On its Facebook page, the group says it is “sick of seeing our Christian brothers and sisters being persecuted in the Middle East. Time to take a stand, make a change, instead of watching blindly.”