A regional celebration of the LGBTQIA+ community will not go ahead this weekend due to safety concerns.
The Rural City of Wangaratta announced it made the decision to delay the Rainbow Ball for the safety of participants, due to the event being targeted by groups with radical views.
The free event that was scheduled for June 3 is a celebration for LGBTQIA+ young people and their friends.
Rural City of Wangaratta Mayor Dean Rees said the council fully supported the region's LGBTQIA+ community.
"There has been some confronting commentary around the Rainbow Ball circulated on social media, and because of this we have chosen to prioritise the safety of all attendees and staff and delay the event," he said.
"We are extremely disappointed that there has been some hateful narrative around this event. We do not accept this but we cannot risk an event that is about fun and celebration posing a risk to anyone attending.
"Prioritising the safety of our community, especially our youth, is not negotiable but we will aim to reschedule this event to enable all LGBTQIA+ young people, allies, and friends across the greater north-east region of Victoria to celebrate together."
Councillor Rees said all members of the community have the right to feel safe and be themselves.
'Dumbfounded by the violence'
Frankie is a queer teenager from north-east Victoria and does not want to use their full name out of fear they may be targeted, but said they had been looking forward to the event.
They read some of the hateful comments on social media about the ball.
"Stuff that made me really want to shrivel up," Frankie said.
They said these events were important, especially in rural and regional areas.
"[In] regional Victoria, it's a lot harder to find that sense of community and that sense of safeness," Frankie said.
They said the news had left them angry and wanting to advocate further for their queer community, but they were concerned for friends and peers.
"I know that this is definitely going to have a lot of negative impacts on young people who are questioning or trying to figure out who they are," they said.
Frankie thought much of this negativity toward the event had come from further afield than Wangaratta.
"'I'm just dumbfounded by the violence that people think is acceptable to minority groups," they said.
'Completely unacceptable'
LGBTQIA+ In the North East, or LINE Wangaratta promotes social inclusion and coordinates LGBTQIA+ events across the region.
A spokesperson said the board and volunteers were "deeply saddened" by the delay of an event that aimed to create a safe place for young people.
"Threats of violence towards event organisers and LGBTQIA+ community members are completely unacceptable," they said.
The not-for-profit organisation thanked police and the council for their support in postponing the event, rather than cancelling, so it could go ahead safely in future.
The Rural City of Wangaratta is working with partner organisations to support people affected by the circumstances.
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