Sinner and Holy Bar destroys in alleged anti-LGBTQ hate crimes

On Thursday, Adams Morgan Queer Bar Siners and Saints (2309 18th St. NW) were published by the destruction of the Bar's Instagram and began to spread.

The Washington Blade sat down with one of the co-partners and general managers of sinners and holy Blair Nixon to discuss the slump and overwhelming reaction of the LGBTQ community.

“Our door was broken-the glass was broken,” said Nixon of the blade when he described the damage to the room. “You wrote a uninhabited on our wall, and unfortunately we are not sure how it was that it was missing in our spirits cabinet, but it seems as if it were attacked because of what you wrote on the wall.”

Nixon, who had been with Washington's only Qtbipoc bar (Queer, Trans, Black, Indigenous and People of Color) since its opening last August, explained that fear was his first reaction when learning the break-in.

“It was really scary,” said Nixon. “Knowing that someone was in our room and destroyed it-it was very scary and frankly devastating.”

He continued that they only knew hours later if it were not the restaurant over sinners and saints, La Grotta.

“We found out because of the restaurant on the upper floor with which we work,” he said. “The electricity to the entire building was turned off broken apartments and the restaurant above us. Whoever broke into the wardrobe that lies outside the building and switched off the electricity into the entire building. When the restaurant owners arrived there, they tried to find out why it does not contain any electricity.

After sinners and holy employees arrived to examine the damage, they published the pictures on their Instagram and called the Metropolitan Police Department. Nixon was grateful for both the MPD and for the mayor's office for the quick reaction of the LGBTQ matters.

“We were very satisfied with the answer,” said Nixon. “The mayor's office has cleared out relatively quickly and I had a conversation with them, and the police came shortly afterwards and they did a really good job. So we are very grateful for the answer. They took a statement, looked at the damage, taken photos of everything and made a report.”

“You actually sent the entire department,” he added. “There were several police officers, several detectives, and the LGBTQ connection came a little later. In general, I only appreciated the answer overall.”

The blade received a copy of the submitted police report, in which the slump was described as a crime. The report by MPD also classified the slump and the subsequent graffiti as “hate tension or motivation” against sexual minorities that have and visit the bar.

Unfortunately, there were no cameras on the premises at the time of the break-in, the MPD estimates took place at some point between 2 p.m. and 6 p.m., but sinners and saints were able to absorb film material from nearby companies.

“We had some camera shots from the hostel next door and sent this to the law enforcement authorities,” he said. “We will only have your investigation carried out, and I don't want to make any guesswork about what could possibly have happened.”

When asked what he believed, the attackers motivated, Nixon gave no final answer. He suggested that it was probably someone who was hostile to LGBTQ company in Washington, but the blade assured that sinners and saints would not return-and that the LGBTQ community is firmly behind them.

“I do not want to make any statements about what we have happened. We will have the police do their job. But as the only Qtbipoc bar in DC it is important to note that we are still here. We will not close. We appreciate the support of our community, and I think it is really important that we are a safe space. Are not very many rooms for the communities that we are very proud to serve these communities.”

Nixon had a criticism for MPD, but was overall with her fast reaction.

“We hope that law enforcement in Adams Morgan would have a greater presence,” he said. “I think, especially from the conversation with other establishment owners and bar owners, there were definitely some increased problems in Adams Morgan, and we hope that this will not go on. We talked to the mayor's office about it and the police when they have a greater presence in Adams Morgan.”

Since its opening, Nixon said that the support of the QTBIPOC and the wider LGBTQ community had become strong after the break-in, but after the break-in, this connection has only become stronger.

“We opened in August last year and think that DC generally reacted to our mission and that the community really appears for us-precisely as the same way as we showed up for you.”

This shared support for sinners and saints, said Nixon, extends over the diverse group of QTBIPOC people who buy recordings and tip over 20 percent. Some of the city's LGBTQ organizations showed themselves and offered to help. One of these community members who have reached Out has a popular gay bar on the 18th street.

“The reaction was very strong and we definitely appreciate the support. Some of the other LGBT bar owners in Adams Morgan have actually personally stopped. We very much appreciated that Dave Perruzza came by pitter, and only in general that the community around us gathered.”

On Thursday evening, sinners and saints opened as planned and organized their “Sapphe Sailor Moon” party. Despite the slump, the LGBTQ community came out to support it.

“I was actually barting,” said Nixon. “I shouldn't work originally, but I found it important for all partners to be there. Everyone who is involved in the scouts and saints of leadership team. Obviously we have to deal with the incident, but since we were there all night, we thought that we had the answer from the community that we wanted to have really strong.

This community, said Nixon, comprises members of the LGBTQ population, who are often overlooked-what is the attack on a space intentionally for them particular trans people and people with colors that are more painful.

“I think that DC generally took over the LGBT community in general as one of the cities with the largest queer population groups. hopes that the acceptance of the community that we serve is as important and is just as important as the acceptance of the LGBT community as a whole.

If you have information about the break-in, please contact MPD at (202) 727-9099. Siners and Saints has set up a Gofundme page for repairs. It can be accessed here.