On Friday, April 14, a fire broke out in the Whitechapel section of East London, leaving two transgender women and one gay man homeless. The fire destroyed the top-floor flat and closed a major road. The Metropolitan Police have labeled the fire as “suspicious,” but it is unclear whether they will investigate it as a hate crime.
According to a GoFundMe page set up to aid the victims, the flat was occupied by two trans women and a gay man identified only as Novaya, Bart, and Harper. The fire began around 6 a.m., and none of the buildings nor internal flats fire alarms sounded, leaving all inside entirely unaware of any fire while Bart & Harper slept. If Novaya had not been awake to hear an explosion from her window at the other end of the flat, the outcome could have been fatal.
Transgender model and writer Munroe Bergdorf linked the GoFundMe page in a post to Instagram and asked for the public’s help for Novaya, Bart, and Harper. Bergdorf also criticized the UK government and media for perpetuating an ongoing environment of transphobic hate, which is putting lives on the line.
The fire in Whitechapel is a grim reminder that the LGBTQ+ community remains vulnerable to hate crimes, especially in the UK where hate crimes against this group have been on the rise. The incident underscores the importance of taking action to address and prevent such incidents, including investigating them as hate crimes when appropriate.
While the Metropolitan Police have labeled the fire as “suspicious,” it is unclear whether they will investigate it as a hate crime. Regardless, the incident has raised concerns about the safety of the LGBTQ+ community in London and highlights the need for greater awareness and support for this group. A GoFundMe page has been set up to aid the victims and assist them in rebuilding their lives.