On December 14, 2024, two masked men entered the café Pritličje during an LGBTIQ+ community event, raised their hands in a Nazi salute, and tore down a poster of the event.
The Legal Network for the Protection of Democracy has filed a criminal complaint against the unidentified perpetrators for the criminal offense of public incitement to hatred, violence, or intolerance (Article 297 of the Criminal Code – KZ-1) and damage to foreign property (Article 220 of KZ-1).
At the Pride Parade Association, we frequently face hostile attacks, violence, and intolerance, which peak during Pride events. On our website, under the Publications section, you can find our report on hate-motivated incidents at Pride Parade 2024—“Varno na Parado”, in which we analyzed last year’s attacks.
These acts are not isolated incidents but part of a broader pattern of organized hate dissemination. When hate speech and the symbols of violent ideologies go unpunished, perpetrators grow bolder, and their actions become increasingly brazen and dangerous.
We join the Legal Network for the Protection of Democracy in calling on the relevant authorities to treat these serious crimes with the full gravity they deserve.
Additionally, we urge leading politicians in both the government and opposition to take a firm stand against any ideology or practice that promotes hatred toward marginalized social groups, including LGBTIQ+ individuals. It is unacceptable for political parties and their leaders to employ Nazi-era tactics of spreading hate and intolerance in their campaigns. Equally unacceptable is the failure of those in power to take sufficient action to protect targeted communities from hate and violence.
“As a society, we must not tolerate such acts of hatred. Failing to sanction them only emboldens perpetrators, leading to increasingly brazen and violent expressions—including physical attacks by neo-Nazi groups, which we are once again witnessing.” — emphasized the Legal Network for the Protection of Democracy.
Our president, Simona Muršec, spoke about this attack and the broader context of rising hatred against the LGBTIQ+ community on POPTV. More in the video below: