Angry Beirut Black T

Beirut By Dyke

On August 4, Beirut witnessed an explosion of nuclear proportions that killed over 100 people, injured over 5000, and left 300 000 homeless. The explosion's aftermath reverberated through the country's meagre territory and made grim history as the 3rd largest blast worldwide. The cause? Lebanese authorities had permitted the storage of 2750 tons of Ammonium Nitrate on a ship at the Beirut Port, despite knowing that the substance was highly explosive. As people in Beirut were already struggling to make ends meet during a rapidly increasing economic recession and a pandemic that exacerbated the militarization of the country, they now have to rely on their own communal efforts to survive the disaster(s). Lebanese authorities have not only refused to take responsibility for the blast but have also been reported to steal from the international funds that tried to help their own citizens. Today, we are selling T-Shirts designed by Beirut By Dyke, to denounce the Lebanese state's actions and support a special segment of the Beirut population. The Queer Relief Fund, which will receive half of the proceeds, is a fundraising campaign launched by a group of independent individuals who took it upon themselves to collect data, secure financial aid, provide food, clothing, shelter, and medical assistance to those who are commonly denied access to such services. Today, as we stand on intersecting crises that could have been avoidable, we sell those T-shirts to loudly say: nothing is okay, and the Lebanese authorities are to blame.

@beirutbydyke