Slovakia: two killed in attack on LGBT community
A 19-year-old homophobic attacker shot two men and seriously injured a waitress outside a gay bar in the Slovak capital Bratislava on Wednesday evening. He then posted hate messages against sexual minorities on social media and committed suicide, according to the police. Commentators are appalled by the crime and voice fierce criticism of the social circumstances.
Don't wait in silence for the next victim
Peter Bárdy, editor-in-chief of Aktuality.sk, writes:
“The point here is not to call the murderer a terrorist or to describe him as a victim of conspiracies and the radicalisation of the public sphere, including the virtual one. Nothing excuses this bestial act. ... The number of attackers - and their victims - is increasing. We must confront this situation head on. For example, by demanding that politicians stop hate speech and reject intolerance towards sexual and other minorities, as well as chauvinism and all expressions that deprive people of their rights and privileges. We cannot wait in silence to see who will be next.”
Homophobia is state doctrine
Violence begins with language, author Michal Hvorecký laments in Denník N:
“For decades now the Slovak language has been contaminated by hatred, which naturally escalates to crime at some point if the brakes are not applied. ... Most members of the Slovak government haven't even dared to say the words gay and lesbian out loud yet. We must finally say loud and clear that for decades hatred of LGBTQI people has been emanating from a large section of the political spectrum, several churches, as well as conservative and far-right media which sympathise with the attackers rather than the victims. ... We need to finally talk publicly about homophobia - which is Slovak state doctrine, so to speak.”