From: JELICA.TODOSIJEVIC@ZAMIR-BG.ZTN.ZER.DE (Jelica Todosijevic)
Date: Sat, 24 Dec 1994 00:07:00 +0100

PEOPLE WHO DON'T FIGHT BACK

On December 23st, Belgrade police officers broke into one of the
most known gathering places for older gay men, beating up everybody in
sight. This police "action" occured in the public toilet in the very
center of the city inhabited by two million people.

According to one gay witness, two police officers in civil dress ran
into the toilet and blocked the door, preventing anyone from leaving the
space. Then they started to beat everyone who happened to be there,
without thinking that some may have had to simply use the
toilet. "They used both their hands and legs to beat people," the witness
said, "and after they 'finished' (about five minutes) they left with
additional threats to the terrified beaten men."

Could there be any sane reasons for which the Belgrade police
beat up people in such a place? It could not be framed as an "undercover"
action against an organized criminal; it could not be conceived as an attempt
to fight drug dealers, rapists or any other perpetrators. It was just another
act of "protecting the public decency" -- a case of oppression all too
familiar to the unfortunate gay men who are humiliated by being forced to
look for each other in public places like toilets.
                       
This is one of the numerous situations in which our state has expressed its
homophobic attitude. Police raids and gay bashing by the state employees
is not an unusual occurance. In July, 1994, Serbia withdrew its law
prohibiting male homosexuality.  Still, police violence against gay men
continues unabated, and young men feel free to bash gay people at random,
knowing well that gay men cannot turn to the police fo help.

It is always good for public image of the "protectors of the nation"
to have somebody to fight, especially if their targets don't fight back.

                                  
                                 Arkadija - Lesbian and Gay Lobby Belgrade
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