Sam Smith Was Heckled And Called A "Pedophile" While Walking In NYC, And It's Seriously Disturbing

The incident occurred in the notoriously LGBTQ-friendly neighborhood, the West Village.

This week, a disturbing video of Sam Smith being heckled in the West Village of New York City started to go viral.

Mega / GC Images

In the clip, the heckler screamed, "You belong in hell! Sam Smith belongs in hell, you demonic twisted sick bastard."

Gotham / GC Images

Calling Sam "demonic" may be a reference to their song "Unholy" and their recent devil-themed performance of it on the Grammys last week.

"Leave the kids alone, you sick fucker. Sam Smith is a pedophile. Grooming the kids, you sick motherfucker, Sam Smith. You're evil."

Gotham / GC Images

In the video — which we won't show — Sam does not respond, but they appear to film the heckler.

Jason Howard / GC Images

This rhetoric that's directed at Sam — who recently came out as nonbinary — likely stems from the fact that, for the last few years, alt-right and right-wing media has promulgated the idea that LGBTQ — especially trans people, nonbinary people, and even drag queens — are groomers and pedophiles.

Mega / GC Images

According to a report via the Human Rights Campaign, the anti-LGBTQ "grooming narrative" increased 400% on social media in 2022.

Sam has been open recently about the harassment they often face in the streets. "What people don't realize with trans nonbinary people in the UK is it's happening in the street," they told Apple Beats 1's Zane Lowe. "So, that was the hardest part, I think, was being at home in the UK and having people shouting at me in the street. Someone spat at me in the street. It's crazy."

Jacopo Raule / Getty Images

Sam has not responded to the heckler or posted any footage of the incident, but we'll update you if and when they do.