Much-loved queer bar Street 66 suffered a break-in on the morning of Sunday, June 5. Owners shared the news over Twitter, accompanied by photos of the damage caused.

The perpetrators reportedly kicked in the door of the Parliament St bar to gain entry, as well as broke a window, and smashed tills once inside. Thankfully, all staff members were off the premises, and no one was harmed. Street 66 did not reveal any further details about the break-in but called for increased Gardaí presence on the streets.

“To the guys that broke in and smashed tills and window, thanks for ruining Sunday morning,” the venue tweeted.

“We need more patrols on our streets in morning light time people passing could see the guys spend 20 mins kicking in door. Luckily we’re safe and they left with broken tills,” they wrote.

https://twitter.com/st66dublin/status/1533453203257413632?s=20&t=ZTRtS611FWELjA3IQj7LDw

The crime comes just as Pride month is kicking into swing, and it adds to the list of attacks suffered by the LGBTQ+ community in Ireland as of late. Roughly three weeks ago, a lesbian couple was attacked at a bus stop in the capital, and a month prior, a gay man was violently assaulted along Dame Street. Although there is no evidence as of yet to suggest that the break-in was homophobically motivated, queer folk are continuing to feel less and less safe in the city.

In response to Street 66’s social media post, the Manager of Mad Egg in the Italian Quarter Sean Kevin said that their restaurant was warned of a few break-ins in the area happening between 2-2:30 AM. He added: “Might be the same guys going around, none have hit us yet, but about 4/5 in our area have been hit.”

I’m a manager in a restaurant at the Italian Quater (Mad Egg) and we were told last week about a few break ins around the area between 2-2:30am, towards the end of this week there was guards literally outside Jervis St Car Park when I was locking up and none since,

— Sean Kevin (@SeanKevinMusic) June 5, 2022

Brother Hubbard also responded, saying: “So sorry to see this. We were broken into on Wednesday night (and about 2 months previously) – it’s a desperate situation.”

So sorry to see this. We were broken into on Wednesday night (and about 2 months previously) – it’s a desperate situation.

— Brother Hubbard Cafes (@BroHubbardCafes) June 5, 2022