Several rights activists in the northwestern Bosnia-Herzegovina city of Banja Luka were injured after allegedly being assaulted late Saturday. This came hours after the police banned an LGBT event planned in the Serb-run part of Bosnia citing security concerns, said a report by the Associated Press.
The cancelled LGBT event was organised and supported by several rights groups from across Bosnia but its announcement provoked a strong homophobic backlash last week including from the Bosnian Serb president, Milorad Dodik.
The attack took place outside the offices of the Bosnian branch of the global anti-corruption group Transparency International in Banja Luka, eyewitnesses told RadioFreeEurope/RadioLiberty’s Balkan Service. The activists were leaving a meeting at the aforementioned office after they had hoped to stage an event to promote LGBT rights in the city on Sunday.
According to media reports, the activists were chased by a few dozen men who chased them through the streets and hurled insults and punches. Journalist and activist Vanja Stokic who was reportedly among those attacked told RFE/RL’s Balkan Service, that she and the others were attacked by a group of “hooligans” carrying bottles and sticks. She added that one of the activists was taken to the hospital after being hit in the head.
Subsequently, the law enforcement officers escorted the activists to the police station, took their statements and are looking for the perpetrators, said the Banja Luka police. Bosnia is said to be highly conservative due to the divisions stemming from the 1992-95 ethnic war while homophobia also remains deep-rooted in the country. However, Sarajevo has celebrated its annual pride parade since 2019 without any incidents or unrest but with a large law enforcement presence.
The cancelled event received significant backlash from many including the Bosnian Serb president Milorad Dodik who called LGBT people “harassers” and hoped that the officials will “prevent them from gathering both in closed venues and in the open,” reported AP.
“Banja Luka is not a city that can accept and understand that kind of organisation…As long as I’m the president, I will always be expressing my stance”, Dodik was quoted as saying by local news outlet N1 news. He also said that felt “no remorse” for the attack but those who took violent actions “they will be held accountable”.
Similarly, Banja Luka Mayor Drasko Stanivukovic while denouncing the event also reportedly said that the LGBT community should limit to the Bosnian capital Sarajevo as Bosnian Serbs cherish their patriarchal and traditional family values and are “clear about our faith and our identity.” However, this incident has drawn widespread condemnation from officials in the European Union, embassies and international organisations.
The Office of the High Representative (OHR) took to Twitter after the incident and said that they strongly condemn the attack on activists and journalists in Banja Luka and called on the authorities to “undertake swift investigation and bring to justice all those responsible for the violent attack. RS authorities need to take equal care of all of their citizens.”
The Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE)’s mission to Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) also issued a statement and said that it “strongly condemns” the attack.
It added, “Every individual has the right to live freely and safely w/out fear of violence or discrimination. We call on the authorities to join in clearly condemning this outrageous attack & bring to justice those responsible as a matter of absolute priority.”
“Words have consequences. When civil society activists and journalists are regularly targets of verbal attack by RS politicians, it creates a climate where physical attacks can follow,” said the Delegation of the European Union to Bosnia and Herzegovina while condemning the violence in Banja Luka. Allegations that police present on the scene failed to prevent the attacks are worrying, if true.”
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