A major fire has destroyed Belfast’s Primark store in the heart of the city’s commercial centre. The fire broke out at 11 AM on Tuesday morning and was still burning on Wednesday morning with 30 firefighters remaining on site.
No-one was injured in the blaze and it is not yet clear how it started but some folk have been offering their two cents.
A Twitter thread has seen people screenshot and shares homophobic remarks which centre around the blaze being “God’s wrath” for Primark supporting LGBT+ Pride.
One user wrote, “The Almighty God has [sic] showed his wrath on [sic] Primark store in Belfast which was found ablaze this morning for supporting Gay Pride. Be not deceived, God is not mocked”
— Mike Hamill (@MikeTJimmy) August 28, 2018
Another wrote: “Reminds me of our Trinitarian God who burnt not just a shop, but a whole city to a crisp. Primark supported wickedness via [sic] it’s shop window a few weeks ago in Belfast.”
Always one! pic.twitter.com/WDNlXt8sR4
— wee fruit ? (@sea_skunk) August 28, 2018
Another user quoted from the bible with an image of Primark’s Pride window display attached:
“Primark in Belfast up in flames. Galatians 6:7 comes to mind… “Be not deceived: God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.”
https://twitter.com/Macers2000/status/1034543186977480704
People also shared stories of a man in Belfast proclaiming that this was due to Primark’s promotion of “witchcraft and the dark arts of Harry Potter.”
https://twitter.com/Velmajinkies/status/1034458754425794562
Northern Ireland Humanists asked people to “call out this homophobic rhetoric where you find it”.
“We have already noticed comments like, ‘you reap what you sow’ in response to the Primark Belfast building having an extremely destructive fire today.
“This is because Primark had created a rainbow window presentation in support of Pride Belfast this year.
“We know this is not the feelings of most Christians, but we would ask you, religious or not, to call out this homophobic rhetoric where you find it.
“We hope those employed by Primark are being helped while out of work. And we also hope the building will be rebuilt as it is one of Belfast’s most beautiful.”
© 2018 GCN (Gay Community News). All rights reserved.
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