Violent homophobic aggression in the Rossani park in Bari on the afternoon of Sunday 3 July, 24 hours after the Pride in which 10 thousand people marched through the streets of the city. Two very young non-binary people were surrounded by about fifteen peers, kicked, punched and slapped and one was wounded in the head with a stone thrown by the attackers. Mayor Antonio Decaro he requested the intervention of the Prefecture and the Police Forces as well as the local Police who are acquiring the images of the cameras. “This aggression cannot and must not go unpunished,” said the mayor.
The two non-binary young people were celebrating a birthday with some friends inside the park, already the scene of attacks, when – according to the social testimonies of those present – a dozen boys would have surrounded the group. “After ten minutes of tension we went back to sit on the lawn and 15-20 returned, starting to insult the whole group and denigrate the people present – writes one of the young women – They laughed and threatened above all two non-binary boys who made forward to defend ourselves. After 30-40 minutes of insults, teasing and threats they moved on to throw cigarette butts at us and on the towels there “.
And then the physical assault began: “When we were leaving, one of the two non-binary youths was attacked. Then the partner intervened to separate them and the whole group of criminals went into action. They left after throwing a boulder the size of two hands on one of the two attacked boys and smashed his head. At the sight of all that blood they ran away. Both have suffered kicks, punches and slaps and are in hospital “.
“As soon as I read what happened last night on social media, I immediately sent all the information in my possession to the Prefecture and the Police – Decaro said – At the same time I asked the local police to take immediate action to find the images recorded by the video surveillance system . This aggression cannot and must not go unpunished. We must immediately give a signal of presence and closeness to families who cannot be afraid of seeing their children go to a city park “.
Bari Pride, Mayor Decaro at the head of the procession: “We defend the right to love and to be ourselves”
The fact happened just the day after the Bari Pride which brought 10 thousand people to the streets of the center: “Pride is necessary, even today and more than ever – the organizers write – We cannot remain silent in the face of the prevaricating violence that is taking place. spreading in our city, with a clear patriarchal, homophobic and racist matrix: we express all our solidarity. Similar episodes in the Rossani park have occurred to foreign boys, and many others are the complaints of harassment on the street against girls that we have counted in these days. Facts that see herds of equally young boys as aggressors, raising questions about a real educational emergency. In our city, there is no room for violence ”.
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And it would not be the only post-Pride episode: “Following the parade there are many reports that have come to us about verbal and non-verbal assaults. First against an activist, who had a flag broken by an admittedly fascist subject, then a verbal rage against a trans girl, whom the police had difficulty managing using inappropriate language “, conclude the organizers of the event.
“As soon as I read on social media what happened last night, I immediately sent all the information in my possession to the Prefecture and to the police – explained Decaro – At the same time I asked the local police to take immediate action to find the images recorded by the video surveillance system . This aggression cannot and must not go unpunished. We must immediately give a signal of presence and closeness to families who cannot be afraid of seeing their children go to a city park “.
Meanwhile, from Bari pride they also announce the possible organization of an evening garrison in Rossani park. “As social organizations from Bari, while recognizing that some areas today need greater protection, we believe that the response to these episodes cannot only be of a security type, with the deployment of police forces on the streets, We believe, indeed , that even for the police it is necessary to carry out more and more widespread training opportunities on what are real hate crimes against LGBTQIA + people since in many of these cases they prove to be unprepared in supporting the victims. It is all the more urgent to approve the regional bill against homolesbotransphobia to put in place instruments against hatred and discrimination in the Apulian territory “.