(Photo Credits: Screengrab from Gaynet Roma’s Official Facebook Account)
A video footage of a gay couple getting attacked in a Rome train station just moments after they kissed is currently making the rounds on the internet. This prompted calls by a number of Italian politicians for quick passage of hate crimes law in the country that would criminalize attacks on the members of the LGBTQ community as well as on women and people with disabilities.
The footage of the aforementioned attack went viral on social media after it was shown on Italian TV on Sunday though the incident itself reportedly took place in February 26 at the Valle Aurelia train station. The footage, said to be a cellphone video taken by a bystander, captured the attacker launching a barrage of punches at the couple. According to LaPresse, an Italian news agency, one of the victims suffered an eye injury. Watch the incident unfold below:
One of the victims, identified as local LGBTQ activist Jean Pierre Moreno, disclosed what happened to GayNews in an interview. He said, “We were waiting for the last train to go home. While I was kissing my partner, we suddenly heard a man scream from the platform opposite: ‘What are you doing? Aren’t you ashamed?’”
Moreno added, “After replying: ‘But what do you care?’ and having resumed kissing with my partner, the guy crossed the tracks and joined us, first striking my partner in the eye. Frightened, he tried to take me away and then fled. But I stayed there, not being afraid to face him and continuing to ask him what problems he was having.”
Rome’s Mayor, Virginia Raggi, was one of those who denounced the attack. She tweeted: “All forms of discrimination and violence must be strongly condemned. Episodes like this represent an intolerable offense to our entire community.”
Lazio Governor Nicola Zingaretti on the other hand, posted on Facebook: “Two young men beaten up for a kiss. Seems incredible but it happened to a gay couple in Rome.” Further, Zingaretti said that it was “time right now for the law against homophobia” and that “it’s time for a country more just for everyone.”
Meanwhile, Giorgia Meloni—an Italian journalist and politician who is the leader of Brothers of Italy party—said, “I remain shocked in the face of this absurd and brutal violence in Rome at the expense of a young man who, as the press has presented it, was supposedly attacked only because he was kissing his companion.” Melonia also said that the alleged attacker must pay for his crime, adding: “These images are unworthy of a civilized country.”
Currently, a hate crime bill in Italy is awaiting schedule for debate in the Senate. If passed into law, violators could face a maximum of 18 months in prison. Moreover, the “legislation also would allocate funding for centers which fight discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity and help cover legal, health and psychological expenses,” ABC News reports.
Why was it necessary for the Gay Couple to engage in a “PDA”? Were they not aware of where they were and whom were around? Did they not take into account, the variances of Human Nature? Their “Assumption” that all would be fine is a fallacy as making an “Assumption” is a display of “Ignorance. Truly, people do not, always, know when and where? Are they unaware that Italy is still a predominately Cathoilc Country and by definition, is not necessarily “Gay Friendly”? Why do some-of-us-still need to be told the obvious? The Whole World is not gay…just some of… Read more »
Damn – the amount of self-hate evidenced in this comment is almost beyond words. Amazingly and sadly, you did not condemn the attacker. Every sentence in your statement is condemnation of the couple who were attacked.
Ghost Hunter!
No need to get your skirt mile high! Rage is no good for the BP! Have a cocktail on me! Perhaps, a semi-sweet Manhattan?
Oh look, he does b**chy, homophobic, emasculating insults too!!! I think your cocktail is more of a bitter, tall glass of sand, with a razor blade garnish!
Just clairify my post…
I was not making a “moral” assessment.
I was making a pragmatic assessment. Realistically, there is a time & place for things and the gay couple were at the wrong place at the wrong time?
PDAs are not always tolerated in Catholic countries such as Italy, Ireland, Spain and, of course, Poland. This was a matter of exercising poor taste and not a matter of exercising freedoms of choice… .
Good point about PDA. What amount is acceptable for any couples? Usually the response is a cringe of some kind. And that cringe should have nothing to do with sexual orientation.
As too many Community members do, they demand their freedom and right to be who they are, but refuse to respect acknowledge that others have freedoms and rights as well. Being gracious, reserved, and respectful when it comes to PDA would go a long way. Discreet would describe it. Take control of public life and not incite incidents with those with phobias.
Nice of us to see…eye-to-eye!
Responsibility goes both ways…although, some will deny it?
My father was a cop and so, I was warned about PDAs as a teenager. Under the cloak-of-darkness…
one was free to do as he pleased!
God bless this statement. The LGBT movement has done more to condone a society of obnoxious vocal idiot minstrels who believe they are so oppressed when living in the greatest amount of prosperity and acceptance.
I have visited Rome, Italy , it’s very Gay Friendly.. May I suggest that you read the New York Times Bestseller “In The Closet of the Vatican .. Power, Homosexuality Hypocrisy by Frederic Martel.. I quote “ Pope Francis is among Queens”..
My Maternal Grandmother took me to Rome, in 1966, at my age of 10. She warned me to stay with her and not waunder off. Likewise, she told me to stay clear of any male dressed in Red (Cardinal) and, also, not to go with anyone who approached me…regardless of where I was. My grandmother was Northern Italian (Milanese) and she, already knew, about such persons and such nooks and cranies within The Vatican. The average Italian, back then, did not know but the educated or the otherwise, knew the truth. Rome is “The Promised Land” and “The Vatican” is… Read more »
“60 Minutes” did piece on this very thing. Nice one! The Vatican is just crawling with homosexuality anyway, this is why I absolutely detest Catholicism completely.
Ohhhh really, Lamar?! I’m a bisex Catholic, am I a bad person? Do you detest me? Guess what, pal…. I detest IGNORANCE! Are you ignorant? You sound like you are.
Yes, the Vatican City is a Gay Mecca for those that want to hide behind the long robes with trains.. Back to the subject at hand.. That young man has no right to attack the gay couple who may have kissed openly.. Im sure he doe not attack other heterosexual couples who display kissing and showing outward affection why? Because in his world, he sees it as normal .. why it’s ok for heterosexuals to confortably express outward affection and not gay couples.. It’s a new day.. Get over it! Don’t like it, MOVE and Stop harming other people ..… Read more »
Same reasons black people did sit-ins, at the very same lunch counters that denied them, isn’t it the same thing basically, when it comes to human rights? Women, have beaten injured, jailed etc., trying to gain the right to vote, same thing isn’t it? Glass-ceilings, etc., you get the that point by now If, we’ve learned anything, in the last 100 years, that’s if, ok. . . rights of freedoms are extremely hard won, as well as hard-maintained. “Freedom ain’t free” for anyone not heterosexual, white, gay, poor a woman. What would the world be like if every oppressed person… Read more »
Lamar:
I hear you…loud & clear… .
My objections are with the displays and the extremes… . There is an old saying…?stop stirring the post when the cream has risen to the top.”
Protestations are more effective when they display their “Raison de Etre” in a manner that lets people open their eyes and cock their ears…not in the manner that hammers home all that is already known…that only succeeds in people closing their eyes and covering their ears.
That’s what should be done, when I see people hug & kiss in public, it’s not my business, so don’t be voyeur, “close your eye’s.”
I see hetero people “displaying affections publicly” modern-classy and civilized people
know, not to stare…I think it’s rather backwards; people will watch in delight, two men fighting, but public affection sends them reeling (eye-roll.)
It is never “necessary” for anyone to engage in a “PDA”!!! Including straight people!!! If you and people like the attacker took into account “the variances of human nature” YOU WOULD REALIZE THAT NOT EVERYONE IS LIKE YOU!!! And instead of thinking you have the right to attack those who vary from you, you would get the f**k over it like a well adjusted, mentally stable human being!!!
You know what can be and is legislated in civilized places??? Laws against assault, physical violence, hate crimes!!! Oh, I know your entire world view is many decades behind the times, but…the “Backlash” never went away so therefore cannot begin!!! Either way I don’t think, to answer your question, you will ever learn!!!
This is awful that some dumbass thinks he has the right to tell someone else what to do. But there is another part of this I keep thinking about. The guy needs to get a better partner. He just left him to let the other defend himself alone. If his partner stayed, the two should’ve been able to kick this idiots ass and make him regret crossing over the platform.
1. Kudos to that young man for standing his ground against a cowardly bully! In the end, he held the field. If there can ever be a winner in such a fight, it was he. 2. Why obscure the face of the attacker? Let him be identified and publicly shamed on social media, and prosecuted for disturbing the peace, assault and battery. And let him be ridiculed, scorned and ostracized by his Neanderthal buddies for losing to a gay boy he outweighed by at least 30 lbs! 3. How about adding a provision to that bill funding self-defense KravMaga or… Read more »
I’m with you on this!!!
This is unbelievable. Back in the 1980’s, American Marines deployed to the Mediterranean were warned that in Italy, public displays of affection between men were normal and any harassment or intimidation would result in severe punishment. How is it possible that a fellow Italian could attack a compatriot in the 2020’s? I suspect some of the intolerance that got normalized by an ousted American politician has polluted more of tge world than we thought.
Pass the hate crime law!
Notice homophobic attackers are always alone attacking gay couples. They’re jealous they ain’t got nobody. If they were getting some they’d leave other people alone.
Just because it is a gay couple, does not mean it is a hate crime. The video doesn’t show what happened before. They could be totally at fault and caused this to happen.
Duh, of course it’s a hate crime, the dude asked them, “aren’t you ashamed” which in itself, is a stupid question. Hell, if they were they wouldn’t have kissed in the first place (eye-roll).
The footage provided here is from the media. For that reason the faces have been covered up. Obviously the media does not want anyone suing them. The raw footage was provided to the Authorities who will be able to identify the attacker.
We don’t know the full extent of the story. What exactly happened prior to the hand-to-hand combat? From there the Authorities can determine the exact nature of the crime.
In all honesty, even in more ‘gay friendly’ places there’s always going to be a homophobic bully prick ready to attack us or say a slur at any given time. That’s all they ever do! Maybe they’re gay themselves! They seem to care too much who we’re with or what we’re wearing! But really, the bill is going to get passed after this incident happened? It should’ve been there since then! And why are people talking about PDA this and that, oh, but it’s a non issue when str8 couples do that, right?!
Fight back. Learn boxing, you will get in great shape and you will help assholes like him learn manners.
Amen, gotta fight to be free!
While I think self defense is good (which is why some women even carry knives), and an ideal for everyone, it’s also not realistic to expect everybody to know how to defend themselves nor should we live in a society where that is needed at all times. Can’t believe people are still this uncivilized, and that’s a bigger issue itself. Again, I think it’s a good advise, but it’s also bothersome people still need to resort to that. This is not the 1950s and those homophobes are the biggest ‘snowflakes’ I’ve ever heard of.
So, plenty of you seem to think that anyone who is not a member of the majority should either be denied what is considered acceptable for the majority OR be fine with getting violently attacked??? I refrain from insulting your opinion because it is already abundantly clear that you already harbor a deep seated hatred and self-contempt!!! I’m guessing that if the attacker had picked the wrong one and got the s**t stomped out of him that you would be calling the gay guy a violent, criminal!!!
having a family full o’ homophobes doesn’t help much either .. i mean, how do you possibly open up a bunch o’ closed minds that wanna keep their minds totally closed shut in the first place? there are still plenty of people who hate gay and what’s worse is that they don’t wanna deal with gay at all, stubborn mules indeed, honey!