After standing up for a same-sex couple that was being insulted, a gay man became the victim of a hate crime himself.
Amsterdam police are now looking for the suspected attacker and potential witnesses to the crime. 👇
Beaten up for his sexuality
On December 22, at 4:15 AM, the victim and his friend were waiting for a taxi at the intersection of Vijzelstraat and Herengracht in Amsterdam.
According to the NOS, they heard how a gay couple was being insulted by two men because of their sexual orientation a bit further away.
Afterwards, one of the men approached the victim to ask for a cigarette. The victim told him he wasn’t being nice to the couple, to which the man reacted violently.
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In an attempt to calm things down, the victim said that he was also gay, but this had the opposite effect; the suspect pushed him and hit him in the head.
The punching continued, and more people gathered around them — not to help the victim but to assist the perpetrator.
When the victim tried to get away, he was knocked to the ground by the group and received kicks to his head, shoulders, and neck.
Eventually, the group left in the direction of Koningsplein. It hasn’t been disclosed exactly how serious the victim’s injuries were, but he wasn’t taken to hospital.
Looking for witnesses
The police have now released a description of the suspect and are asking witnesses to come forward. The investigation may also yield more suspects.
The man they’re looking for is in his mid-twenties, approximately 180 centimetres tall, with a light skin tone and short black hair.
At the time of the assault, he wore a multi-coloured jacket with black sleeves and light trousers.
Tackling discrimination
The police emphasise that “in the Netherlands, you can be who you are and love who you want.” That is why they claim to take matters of discrimination seriously.
Unfortunately, Dutch LGBTQ+ people experience bullying and harassment more often than their straight counterparts, reports RTL Nieuws.
If you belong to the community and are being threatened or harassed, or if you know someone in your environment who is in that situation, the police encourage you to contact them.
You can call them at 088-1691234 or email roze-in-blauw.ad@politie.nl.
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