After the FIFA World Cup match between Germany’s national team and the Ivory Coast on Saturday in Toronto, there was a brutal assault on a German fan. The victim, a 33-year-old man from Berlin, was allegedly attacked and injured in a sports bar by a group of individuals believed to be motivated by homophobia.
The person known as Alex — who was accompanied by two friends who document their experiences with humorous photos and videos — was reportedly first denigrated verbally with homophobic slurs by several men. One of the attackers wore a Scotland jersey. The trigger for the disturbance appeared to be a rainbow-colored fan that Alex was carrying. Afterwards, the assailants, said to be in their early 20s, physically attacked the German supporter. “One from the group knocked my glass onto the floor, pulled me off the platform, and started punching me,” the victim told the “Rheinische Post.”
The attack cost the victim $5,000
The police have since opened a case for bodily harm. However, Alex complained that there was little help from the bouncers and the Canadian officers, and he does not believe the perpetrators will be caught. For his treatment — X-rays and stitches — he had to pay $5,000 at a hospital.
On Instagram, Alex recounted his ordeal in English. He explained that what left him speechless was not the hospital bill, but something else: “Young people in their twenties — a generation we always say is more open than the last — still carry that kind of hatred. I’m not gay myself. But I know that the LGBTQ+ community has to live with this every damned day, and that is exactly why I won’t stay silent.” He also posted a photo of himself with a blood-streaked face and a torn Germany jersey.
Despite the brutal attack, Alex and his friends plan to keep enjoying the World Cup. Their next stop is New York City, where Germany will take on Ecuador on Thursday. The trio recently posted a video from Niagara Falls at the U.S.–Canada border, in which one of the three says: “Niagara Falls greeted us with a rainbow light show. I love that more than anything.”
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