Man who vandalised ‘Saint’ George Michael mural found guilty
Image: Photos: Instagram / Scott Marsh.
Ben Gittany, the man who vandalised the beloved George Michael mural in Sydney’s inner-west during the postal survey, was convicted of malicious damage on Friday.
The mural, nicknamed ‘Saint George’, was painted by artist Scott Marsh in January last year and became a lightning rod on the ‘Christian Lives Matter’ Facebook page during the postal survey last year, Gay Star News reported.
Acting on the belief that the image of George Michael as a saint was disrespecting his religion, Gittany was filmed covering the mural in black paint in November just days after the postal survey results were announced.
A petition supporting Gittany’s actions circulated at the time, garnering over 34,000 signatures.
Magistrate Carolyn Huntsman dismissed Gittany’s religious beliefs as grounds for his actions, however, and found him guilty of malicious damage.
“We live in a pluralist society,” Huntsman told the court. “Art is a tangible thing.”
Australian icon Pauline Pantsdown – aka Simon Hunt – was present at the court on Friday, and tweeted out his gratitude over the ruling.
“A big day in Newtown Court today with the magistrate acknowledging a pluralistic society; acknowledging queer community & art; & making it clear that “religious beliefs” are no excuse for smashing shit up,” he said.
Residents in the area have reportedly received death threats since the vandalism.
“This mural was never about attacking religion – it was about honoring our friend and community icon,” one resident said.
“The mural framed him as a saint because he is a saint for us.”
A day after the ruling, Pantsdown noted that the Facebook group that helped inspire Gittany to damage the mural has not reacted well to the outcome of the case.
Multiple death threats by members of extremist anti-gay group “Christian Lives Matter” against magistrate who convicted who convicted Ben Gittany yesterday for malicious damage to Newtown’s St #GeorgeMichael mural. A small sample here, all are being passed to NSW police. pic.twitter.com/t9yoe8XdW4
— Pauline Pantsdown (@PPantsdown) July 28, 2018
The crew of queers who showed up to court in t-shirts bearing an image of the mural retired to The Courthouse Hotel for a beer following the ruling.
The George Michael mural was also vandalised during the postal survey period, with residents finding it pelted with eggs and vandalised with graffiti in October.
Gittany is due to be sentenced in September.
What happened to that instruction we were told was given by Christ to his followers?
“Love they neighbour as thyself”?
I was taught that god was an angry god, a jealous god but that his alleged son was a man who taught us to love one another, be generous, be kind, be compassionate, to help those less fortunate than ourselves. To love Peace
This “Christian lives matter” club is the very antithesis of what Christ taught for it teaches hatred, loathing, violence.
If it has mad these Death threats against the magistrate, has threatened to burn down the Courthouse then those running this Cult of Hatred should be charged. The Police don’t need to prove anything for the evidence is there for all to see. That means an automatic Guilty finding and don’t our Laws demand long Prison sentences for those who preach hatred and arson?