Attack on gay activist in Zagreb
08/10/2007
Submitted by
Sanja Juras
October, 5th 2007
To whom it may concern,
We are addresing you in regards to the attack on two gay men that happened yesterday, October, 5th 2007, during the time of football match Dinamo-Ajax around 7.40. p.m.
Namely, Marko Jurčić, gay activist and one of the organizers of Zagreb Pride seeked the assistance of the Team for Legal changes, since he was yeasterday brutaly attacked while he was walking in the city centre with his friend. Group of 8 men attacked Mr. Jurčić and his friend near Margaretska street. They knocked them on the ground and kicked them with legs. The injured parties received medical assistance. Mr. Jurčić's friend gained sever head injuries and was hospitalized.
The injured parties reported the incident to the police. Two attackers were identified today (due to the help of a witness) in police station in Heinzelova street. The police informed Mr. Jurčić that they wil induce criminal and misdemeanor proceedings against perpetuators.
Unfortunatley, according to the report of the Police Headquarters in Zagreb, it can be only seen that „two men with fists punched a few times another two men after short verbal conflict“. There is no mention of 5-6 attackers that joined original two attackers. There was no verbal conflict, since Mr. Jurčić was insulted because he was wearing a jacked with German flag (he did not respond to insults) and attacked right after that.
Unfortunatley, we find Zagreb to be an unsecure place. Physical attacks on citizents became common occurance, especially during football matches that involve Zagreb or Croatian teams. Attacks occur in afternoon hours and in city centre, even near police stations. Motivs of such attacks are often sexual orientation, national origin, skin color, or other caracteristics of injured parties. Biased attacks result in the feeling of general unsecurity among members of minorities, and have highly stigmatizing effect.
We demand:
• From the police to consistently implement newly adopted legislative in regards to hate crimes, according to the instruction of the Ministry of Internal Affairs and find all offenders as soon as possible. We also demand special measures of security on the streets of Zagreb during footbal matches and on places where attacks on sexual minorities are common occurance.
• From the public attorney's office to qualify this attack as criminal offences of sever physical injury, violent behavior and race and other discrimination and in the future to document criminal offences motivated by hatred
• From institutional mechanmisms for protection of human rights and gender equality to condemn this form of violence and monitor police conduct in such cases
Best regards,
Sanja Juras, Kristijan Grđan,v.r.
Coordinator of Lesbian group Kontra coordinator Iskorak
To whom it may concern,
We are addresing you in regards to the attack on two gay men that happened yesterday, October, 5th 2007, during the time of football match Dinamo-Ajax around 7.40. p.m.
Namely, Marko Jurčić, gay activist and one of the organizers of Zagreb Pride seeked the assistance of the Team for Legal changes, since he was yeasterday brutaly attacked while he was walking in the city centre with his friend. Group of 8 men attacked Mr. Jurčić and his friend near Margaretska street. They knocked them on the ground and kicked them with legs. The injured parties received medical assistance. Mr. Jurčić's friend gained sever head injuries and was hospitalized.
The injured parties reported the incident to the police. Two attackers were identified today (due to the help of a witness) in police station in Heinzelova street. The police informed Mr. Jurčić that they wil induce criminal and misdemeanor proceedings against perpetuators.
Unfortunatley, according to the report of the Police Headquarters in Zagreb, it can be only seen that „two men with fists punched a few times another two men after short verbal conflict“. There is no mention of 5-6 attackers that joined original two attackers. There was no verbal conflict, since Mr. Jurčić was insulted because he was wearing a jacked with German flag (he did not respond to insults) and attacked right after that.
Unfortunatley, we find Zagreb to be an unsecure place. Physical attacks on citizents became common occurance, especially during football matches that involve Zagreb or Croatian teams. Attacks occur in afternoon hours and in city centre, even near police stations. Motivs of such attacks are often sexual orientation, national origin, skin color, or other caracteristics of injured parties. Biased attacks result in the feeling of general unsecurity among members of minorities, and have highly stigmatizing effect.
We demand:
• From the police to consistently implement newly adopted legislative in regards to hate crimes, according to the instruction of the Ministry of Internal Affairs and find all offenders as soon as possible. We also demand special measures of security on the streets of Zagreb during footbal matches and on places where attacks on sexual minorities are common occurance.
• From the public attorney's office to qualify this attack as criminal offences of sever physical injury, violent behavior and race and other discrimination and in the future to document criminal offences motivated by hatred
• From institutional mechanmisms for protection of human rights and gender equality to condemn this form of violence and monitor police conduct in such cases
Best regards,
Sanja Juras, Kristijan Grđan,v.r.
Coordinator of Lesbian group Kontra coordinator Iskorak
