Evan Somers says he is used to verbal abuse because of his sexual orientation.
However, as a young gay man living in Dublin, he would not let that stop him from enjoying the lively nightlife.
But in the early hours of one Saturday, the violence turned into a devastating physical attack that forced him to fight to recover.
The 23-year-old left The George, an iconic gay bar on Dame Street in Dublin, and was looking for a taxi when a man approached, shouting homophobic insults.
“This boy just came to me and started throwing abuse, calling me this and that,” Evan told Sky News.
“He started calling me af *****, and eventually this led him to call me af ***** with his fists in the air as he punched me in the face. He hit me, hit me, and knocked me out. That led to my injuries. “
Evan was taken to hospital, where he learned that he had a fracture of the eye, a sprain and two fractures of the ankle.
“My ankle bones were broken, so the surgeons had to work hard to repair them,” he said.
Image: Lack of progress on hate crime bill is “disgraceful”, says Evan Somers
Evan says he is still struggling to come to terms with the attack. An all-inclusive rugby player, Emerald Warriors, he is not sure if he will be able to return to the game due to leg injuries.
No one has been arrested in connection with the attack, even if Gardai [Irish police] to find the culprit, they could not accuse him of a hate crime, because unlike most European countries, Ireland does not actually have a specific law on hate crimes in the statutes.
“I think it’s a disgrace,” Evan said. “Not only for me, but for every victim of hate attacks. I think this bill, this legislation should be a priority.”
He is referring to the Hate Crimes Bill, which has not yet entered the Irish Parliament, despite efforts to bring a sense of urgency to the process.
Just days after Evan’s attack, two men were killed across the country in the town of Sligo. Gardai, who is investigating the deaths of Aiden Moffit and Michael Snee, suspects a possible motivation for hate crimes.
At the time, Justice Minister Helen McKenty said she knew it was a “difficult week for the LGBT community” and said she wanted to “reassure people that any crimes motivated by hatred, prejudice or discrimination will not be tolerated”. , there will be higher sentences and I hope to introduce the bill on hate crimes in a few weeks “.
Two months later, the bill has not yet appeared. A spokesman told Sky News the bill would create aggravated forms of existing crime that would carry “increased punishment” and “strengthen the law”. But they only managed to say that the minister would publish the legislation “as soon as possible”.
Image: Oisin O’Reilly
“I need to do better”
“We have been waiting for years for this legislation and I am really disappointed and discouraged to hear that this is a slip of the tongue from the department,” said Ausin O’Reilly, chief executive of the Outhouse LGBTQ + in Dublin.
“Months ago, Helen McCenty talked about introducing legislation within weeks. “As soon as possible,” it sounds as if it has been moved down the political agenda, and the minister and his staff need to do better.
We met Mr. O’Reilly while he met with the police at Store Street in the city center. The series of attacks has upset many people in the gay community ahead of the June 25 Pride Parade in Dublin.
“I took over as CEO of Outhouse nine weeks ago, and in six of those weeks I’ve heard of a violent attack on someone in the community,” Mr O’Reilly told us. “I can’t remember a time when it was so common and I worked in the LGBT community all my life as an adult.
Image: Charente Cabra
Racism is also a problem
It is not just those in the gay community who are calling for urgent action. Charan Cabra is from India but has lived in the Dublin suburb of Lucan with his wife of four years.
During this time, he experienced three serious incidents of racist abuse, including throwing stones at him, was called “Ali Baba” and was told to “return home.”
“My message to the minister would be: make this an inclusive society for all,” Mr Cabra said. “The Hate Crime Act is absolutely necessary all over the world right now, including a place like Ireland, which I want to call my home.
The government promises that legislation, with its potential to act as a greater deterrent, is on the way.
For now, those most in need of its protection are still waiting for Ireland to receive its long-promised hate crime law.
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