March in support of LGBT+ community in Bratislava on Friday, October 14, 2022. (source: SITA)
Thousands of people have gathered in Bratislava for the march to condemn hatred against LGBT+ people organised by the Inakosť (Otherness) initiative that advocates for the rights of LGBT+ community in Slovakia.
The march was staged as a reaction to the premeditated attack, in which a 19-year-old radicalised man killed two men from the LGBT+ community on the evening of October 12, 2022 outside Tepláreň, one of the very few LGBT+ spots in the city. Police ponder terrorism charges.
"Many say that LGBTI+ people are an ideology. But I saw the blood of my friends on the sidewalk. I saw their shot bodies, no ideology. I testify on behalf of the murdered Matúš. I testify on behalf of the murdered Juraj. I testify on behalf of the shot Radka. Please testify on their behalf too. Each and every one of you has a voice that must be heard. Together we will stop the hate. Thanks to you and your voices, love will win," Tepláreň owner Roman Samotný told the crowd in his speech that echoed the statements he had previously voiced in interviews with the media.
An estimated 20,000 people, as the Sme daily reported, marched from Tepláreň to the SNP Square in downtown Bratislava, the place that saw massive protests following the murder of journalist Ján Kuciak and his fiancée Martina Kušnírová four years ago.
Prior to the march, Inakosť called on the Slovak government to take measures to improve the position of the LGBT+ community in Slovakia.
Zlatica Maarová from the Association of Parents and Friends of LGBTI People stressed that everyone is threatened by hatred.
"I refuse to ask my daughter not to appear in public, not to live her life authentically and honestly," she said.
Rainbow colours in Bratislava
The Presidential Palace displayed a rainbow flag next to the Slovak and the European flags on Friday afternoon. The Office of the Parliament announced that the Bratislava Castle will be lit tonight to commemorate the victims of the murder, Juraj and Matúš.
Only last week, the parliament debated an amendment to ban rainbow flags on public buildings. The amendment failed to pass.
"I'm sorry that you cannot feel safe in Slovakia. You belong here, you are valuable to our society," President Zuzana Čaputová told the crowd. She repeated her call on politicians not to spread hate.
Prime Minister Eduard Heger marched with the crowd, carrying a rainbow flag. After he was criticised for his initial reaction, in which he said that nobody should fear for their life because of "their way of life".
"I wanted to show my support to the LGBT+ community, now I see I chose the wrong words and I admit to my mistake," Heger wrote on Facebook. He then went on to say that it is absolutely unacceptable that people die or are attacked because of their different sexual orientation, race, sex, or religious persuasion.
Speaking from the stage, Bratislava Mayor Matúš Vallo said sorry to the victims. "As a society we were unable to protect you from the materialised hate," Vallo said. He charged that the atmosphere of hate has been created by particular people who do not shy away from inciting hate to gain cheap political points.
"Push hate out of our city," said the mayor.
Politicians should unite, not divide people
Bratislava Regional Governor Juraj Droba called on state representatives to unambiguously condemn the attack against the LGBT+ community. "Many members of this community are losing hope and ponder leaving Slovakia," he said.
Deputy Speaker of the European Parliament Michal Šimečka, who leads the Progressive Slovakia political party, said he wants the European Parliament to debate the threats of hate against the LGBT+ community, and the Bratislava shooting attack.
"Slovakia will not be the black hole on the map of Europe, a rainbow map," he said.
On behalf of the community from culture and arts, František Košarišťan, also known as comedian Fero Joke, said politicians in the parliament could be an example for the people.
"They should unite people and not divide them," he said, and called on people not to be silent.
