Associations Condemn Attack on Gay Couple at Tvornica Club

16 September 2008

The associations gathered in the Croatian LGBTIQ Coordination strongly condemn and demand legal sanctions for the persons responsible for the homophobic attack on two gay persons last weekend, at the Tvornica night club in Zagreb.

- This is yet another in a series of physical attacks on gay persons, caused by behaviour widely accepted from heterosexual people, says the Coordination, adding that the rising visibility of gay population in the public space has lamentably brought about a rise in a number of similar incidents.

The incidents contribute to rising fear and insecurity in Zagreb and the country in general, while competent state institutions fail to take any measures to suppress and eradicate hate crimes. The Coordination adds that this was not the first time for bouncers in an establishment, who should be concerned with the safety of all visitors to appear as perpetrators of such attacks.

- The attack is a violation of the two young men`s basic rights and dignity. Their freedom of movement and the right of free expression of identity have been violated, says the Coordination.

The LGBTIQ Coordination demands from the Tvornica Kulture (Culture Factory) Club and its management to apologize to Robert Janus and his partner and to investigate who of its security workers were involved and to fire them. From the rental cop company it demands strict sanctions for the involved and from the Police and the State Prosecution to investigate the case and file proper charges for offences of discrimination based on sexual orientation.

The Coordination intends to inform all national and internationla human rights institutions and organisations and to take future steps to discover or prevent all attempts to restrict the right of movement and free expression of identity of LBGTIQ population.