Towns squares lit by dim candlelight, rainbow flags nearby, mottos written on makeshift banners, monochrome photos of two young people – these are some of the images that could be seen in several Slovak town squares after marches held to publicly reject homophobia. The October 12 terrorist attack that targeted the queer community has shaken up the country. But solidarity within and beyond the queer community has spread beyond Slovakia’s borders.
The Hague was one of the many foreign cities where Slovakia’s queer community and its allies came together to commemorate Juraj Vankulič, a non-binary person, and Matúš Horváth, a bisexual man, who were both killed in the Bratislava attack,
Before the official event in The Hague, the community spontaneously met in smaller groups. “A sense of safety, support and comfort was crucial during the period after this unprecedented event,” explained Jasna, one of the coordinators of the memorial event, who is a university student from Bratislava.
Living through the attack in a different country left many feeling lost and displaced, wishing they were in Slovakia with their closest ones. Meeting in order to remember the victims also helped to create space for sharing emotions and to connect with home. Near the Slovak Embassy in the Netherlands, about 70 people mourned their loss.
