Rise of the far-right undermines LGBTQI+ rights in Europe
Going out in the street in fear, letting go of your partner's hand or avoiding public displays of affection are increasingly common in seemingly free and tolerant European cities.
Spain's capital, Madrid, is a good example.Reports of homophobic attacks in Spain have soared in the first quarter of the year.
One of the most recent cases is that of two young men who were assaulted by a group of five boys while kissing on the beach during the Saint Joan festivities in Barcelona.
Ramón Martinez is a writer and COGAM activist. He points to the beating to death of Samuel Luiz in A Coruña, two years ago, as a key turning point. "Since then, many of my friends started looking for self-defence classes," he says. "Many people began to realise that the problem was getting worse" He says they fear that Spain will continue to take steps backwards until it reaches the same situation as that in Poland or Hungary.Hate has 'come out of the closet' unashamedly encouraged by far-right parties such as Vox.
