The EU condemns the attack and stresses its commitment to “help in the fight against hate crimes”
At least three people have died and a fourth has been injured in a shooting against a pub frequented by members of the LGTBI community in bratislavathe capital of Slovakia.
The attack, which took place on Wednesday afternoon, was carried out by a 19 year old which has been identified as Juraj K and what has been found lifeless this Thursday morning near the headquarters of the Ministry of Education after committing suicide, as reported by the Police.
Two of the deceased were in front of a pub, whose owners have described it as a bar “close to the gay community in the center of Bratislava”. Shortly after the attack, the author of the shooting has confessed to the crime and, according to the first investigations, has taken his own life.
Previously, the young man had published several messages through social networks that included a homophobic hate speech and with neo-Nazi overtones.
The Slovak Prime Minister, Eduard Heger, has condemned the attack and has asked “the end of hate in society”. On the possibility of fearing for his own life, he has guaranteed that “he is not concerned”. “I know we are living in difficult times,” she has said.
For her part, the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, has conveyed her condolences to the families of the victims of the shooting. “These terrible murders are a threat for societies built on respect and tolerance. The EU is committed to helping fight hate crimes in all its forms,” she said in a Twitter message in which she urged “protecting the LGTBI community.”
She was joined by the Vice President of the European Commission, Maros Sefkovic, who has expressed that “it is a very painful moment for the whole country”. “All of us stand up against hate in any of its forms,” she stressed.