SSM: Keeping track of the ugly side of the same-sex marriage debate

Updated

The same-sex marriage debate has been marred by hate speech, vandalism and bullying. Keep track of the incivilities.

When he announced a postal survey on legalising same-sex marriage, Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull asked for a civilised national debate.

"Australians are able and have demonstrated that they can have a respectful discussion. I am committed to that."

But there has been an ugly side: the Yes camp points to episodes of vandalism and abuse, and No campaigners say they are being bullied for their views.

We've been collecting key stories that indicate not everyone has shared the Prime Minister's commitment to respect.

[ 'Would you come to my wedding?' Listen in as an Aussie dad and his gay son talk through their differences on SSM. ]

August 13

The Australian Christian Lobby office in Canberra is egged.

August 21

A 'stop the fags' poster is reported in Melbourne. Many similar ones popped up around the city. A neo-Nazi group called Antipodean Resistance has claimed responsibility for those.

August 26

Tyres are slashed outside a Sydney theatre showing gay love story Holding the Man, in the second such attack on the production in less than a month.

September 4

Dr Pansy Lai says she has been threatened with violence after appearing in an ad for the No campaign, in which she said allowing same-sex marriage overseas had resulted in compulsory school programs.

September 11

ABC radio airs a caller who praises Hitler for interning gay people in concentration camps.

September 12

Kevin Rudd's godson is punched in the street in Brisbane for "standing up for marriage equality".

September 15

A Presbyterian minister in Melbourne cancels a wedding over the bride's support for same-sex marriage.

September 16

A 14-year-old girl gets a death threat after her pro-SSM Facebook post.

September 19

A children's party entertainer loses work over an anti-SSM Facebook filter.

September 20

A children's party business owner says her family received death and rape threats after she fired a contractor for advocating a No vote on Facebook.

September 21

Former PM Tony Abbott is headbutted by man wearing Yes badge. Mr Abbott says it's evidence of the "ugliness" coming from the Yes side, but the man charged over the assault says he was not motivated by the same-sex marriage debate.

September 21

AFL House gets evacuated due to a phone threat, one day after its sign was temporarily changed to say "YES".

September 22

A trans teen who reported being strangled in Hobart mall says the postal survey has made her less safe.

September 22

Two women interrupt a Coalition for Marriage event in Melbourne, kissing on stage. A banner reading "Burn churches, not queers" was also unfurled.

September 23

Swastikas are painted on three properties displaying rainbow flags in inner Brisbane.

September 24

Opposition Leader Bill Shorten and his young daughter are bailed up by a No campaigner.

September 24

Man shouting about f****ts throws rocks through windows of a house displaying rainbow flags in Brisbane.

September 24

Rainbow flag flying in a Melbourne front yard is set alight.

"We think we can have a reasonable debate, but we clearly can't," Senior Sargent Michael Moloney tells the Herald Sun.

September 25

A Sydney train is defaced with homophobic slurs, "Vote No" and swastikas.

September 25

Yes voters' rainbow letterbox is defaced and dog poo is placed on their doorstep.

September 26

A No campaigner circulates a video with polygamy, bestiality and promiscuity claims.

September 26

"Respect people's rights, ya gronk": Yes voter's street rant in Chatswood is captured on video.

September 26

A News Corp reporter's dog, who was wearing an Equality scarf while out for a walk, was reportedly attacked by a man shouting homophobic slurs.

September 26

Posters similar to the 'Stop the fags' poster in Melbourne appear at an intersection in western Sydney. They are attributed to the 'Party for Freedom' far-right group, which is not a registered political party.

September 27

Brisbane priest Morgan Batt says he was spat at and called a "f***ing no voter" while walking through town in his "priestly attire".

September 28

The Ray Hadley radio show posts a video of a woman shouting abuse at anti-SSM campaigner while removing his signs from a Sydney intersection.

September 29

A cafe worker in Tamworth, NSW, is reported to have been punched and pushed to the ground by an anti-SSM campaigner who was parked outside with a trailer bearing Vote No posters. The man denies pushing her, saying she fell.

October 2

Cars, fences, letterboxes and a large mural are defaced with "No" graffiti in the Sydney suburb of Stanmore, according to local resident Steph Sands.

October 3

Queensland Deputy Premier Jackie Trad, a vocal supporter of same-sex marriage who represents one of the state's most left-leaning seats, reveals she has been targeted by an anti-gay email campaign and had swastikas placed over the Yes signs on her office.

October 9

Vic Unions tweet photos of a man they say defaced Trades Hall on the weekend with "666" graffiti.

October 15

Two churches in Melbourne's south east are reportedly defaced overnight with crude graffiti including "crucify 'No' voters" and "bash bigots".

October 16

A Sydney mural depicting the singer George Michael as a saint with a rainbow halo is egged and defaced. Jonny Seymour, who commissioned the original mural by artist Scott Marsh, says he is not posting pictures as he does not want the vandals to get "any mileage" our of the graffiti.

October 18

A trans teenager in Melbourne is allegedly attacked on his way home by a man wearing a No badge.

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Topics: lgbt, marriage, federal-government, sexuality, vandalism, australia

First posted