Homophobic Assault In Train Station Saw Two Men Physically Abused And It’s Like Nothing Happened

It is an assault that almost got unnoticed. Poorly covered by the media and left out by the people surrounding the incident, the two victims spoke to Swiss 20min.

As two friends, Björn von Ow and Markus Tinne, were hanging by St Galles’ (Switzerland) train station this last Sunday (July 10), a man apparently under the influence of alcohol started to verbally abuse them, calling the pair ‘’filthy gays’’, who, shocked and dismayed, decided to answer back.

As Markus was spotted calling the police asking for assistance, the man then started to have recourse to violence:

‘’The man punched me in the face and threw beer bottles at me’’ says Markus.

The two then went on to declare they were particularly disappointed by the police intervention, stating the only advice the authorities had given them was to ‘consult a doctor for healthcare’. Meanwhile Gian Andrea Rezzoli, spokesman for the said police intervened: ‘’Tinne and Von Ow were making calls [when the police arrived] and did not look like they needed help.’’

More than the police lack of concern, it is from the people that were around and did nothing that Markus and Björn were the most saddened by: ‘’Not one attempted to help out’’ they said.

Words: Salomé Baudino