An LGBTQ+ couple from York, UK have revealed that they feel pressured to move out after they have been subjected to abusive notes from their neighbours.
Huntington-based Alex Houlden and Rachel Roustoby recalled being spat on in the street, as well as receiving anonymous notes through their front door, including an abusive message graffitied on their front door on Christmas Day.
Houlden told the BBC that they started to find the anti-gay notes appearing through their door over the last three months, with the content of the comments becoming “progressively worse”.
On Christmas Day, the couple found a homophobic phrase written on their front door in permanent marker, as well as a bag of dog waste on their door handle.
They also said that neighbours removed rubbish from their bins, which was strewn in their garden, as well as receiving abusive messages on parcels delivered to their home.
Houlden said that they were left “terrified” after the repeated incidents, which North Yorkshire Police are treating as a hate crime.
“It’s just escalated and my partner’s been getting approached in the street and told they don’t ‘agree with the lifestyle’ of being gay and she’s been spat at,” Houlden explained.
Roustoby, whom the outlet said has only recently begun discussing her sexuality in public, said: “I’ve never experienced this kind of thing before. It just felt wrong and really horrifying.”
Gavin Hoban, director of places and customer engagement at Yorkshire Housing, said via a statement that security in the couple’s building has since been stepped up.
“The safety and wellbeing of our customers is our top priority, and we will not tolerate any behaviour like this,” Hoban said.
A spokesperson for the North Yorkshire Police said: “We can confirm these incidents are being treated as a hate crime and we’ve been carrying out a number of lines of enquiry to identify who is responsible.
“Incidents such as these are extremely distressing for victims and we take them very seriously.”
The force said they arrested a woman in her 50s in York as part of the investigation, but she was released with no further action. They added that they are supporting the victims to “ensure they’re kept updated and appropriate measures are in place for their personal safety”.
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