Several representatives of organisations and civic associations, together with several hundred people, commemorated on SNP Square in Bratislava on Thursday the two murdered men who lost their lives on October 12 in the capital. The organisers of the meeting call on the public, the government, as well as MPs, to deal with equalising the rights and improving the protection of LGBTI+ people and their families in Slovakia. Also on Thursday, the public learnt about another attack on a man who kissed another man on a bench.
Hate attacks must not be tolerated even in their initial verbal form, in order to prevent attacks like the one that happened in Nitra, President Zuzana Caputova posted on a social network in response to the attack on an LGBTI+ couple. The head of state regrets that on Thursday, when Icelandic President Gudni Thorlacius Johannesson honoured the victims of the terrorist attack on Zamocka Street in Bratislava, they learnt about another attack on a couple. "Iceland is also an inspiration for us in terms of equality. Since 1996, registered same-sex partnerships have been approved there," said Caputova. The Slovak head of state pointed out that she asked the president about their experience with this legislation. "He assured me that this in no way threatens the traditional family and has no practical impact on the majority," she said.
The police are investigating an attack on a man who kissed another man on a bench in Nitra, western Slovakia. After the attack, the attacked person ended up in hospital, where he underwent an operation. The police received a criminal motion on October 23.
More than 50 Slovak organisations and civic associations joined the 'Our Life's at Risk' initiative. Its spokesperson Roman Samotny stressed that for years activists have been warning about the importance of better protection of LGBTI+ people. “But we were few and couldn't face the systematic effort of a large part of society to erase us from the public space," he said.
On Friday, Justice Minister Viliam Karas was to meet activists to discuss possible steps to be taken to improve the situation.
Source: TASR
