Conservatives and LGBTQ rights activists condemned vandalism at the home of a Utah state senator who sponsored a bill restricting transgender youth health care.
The vandalism happened at the home of Sen. Mike Kennedy, R-Alpine. Someone spray-painted messages apparently aimed at his sponsorship of Senate Bill 16, which was signed into law earlier this year. That bill placed a ban on gender-affirming surgeries and a moratorium on hormone therapies for transgender youth.
"To those who seek to use violence, vandalism, and intimidation to deter me from standing up for what is right, let me be clear: You will not succeed. I will not be deterred by your cowardly actions. The recent vandalism to my family's home was not just an attack on me, but on the very principles our state stands for. We will not let fear and violence control our destiny," Kennedy said in a statement.
The vandalism was also condemned by Equality Utah. It said the action harms efforts to build bridges between the LGBTQ community and the Republican supermajority in the legislature.
"It is never acceptable to replicate the violent or threatening tactics we have had to endure, and target those with whom we have disagreements," Equality Utah said.
The LGTBQ rights organization said it hopes Republicans will also condemn actions when others are targeted.
"The culture wars are now escalating into real-world violence, and we all have an obligation to take a stand and condemn extremism wherever it manifests -- be it acts of vandalism, or political acts of violence," the group stated.
