Feminist Peace Network

“Afterwards, the police came and told MiloÅ¡ that the attacker told him that he broke the flag because it is a symbol of ‘sick homosexuality that you promote.’ MiloÅ¡ said that that is an act
of hate speech and that to use our sexuality in that way discredits all of us peace activists and defenders of human rights. The police officer said that he took down the attacker’s information. He also took a statement from Miloš as well as information from witnesses
Tijana Popivoda, Natalija VuÅ¡kovi , and Zorica Trifunovi .”

Read on for the complete story.

From Women in Black Belgrade:

“An Attack on a PACE Flag – An Attack on Women Defenders of Human Rights
The Police were Passive

On October 6, 2007 at 1:30 pm in Belgrade’s Republic Square, at the
Women’s Nongovernmental Organizations Fair organized by The Incest
Trauma Center, in which Women in Black participated, a beam on which a
PACE flag was hanging was broken. (‘Pace’ is peace in Italian.)

Women in Black has used these peace flags in our protests since 1996.
It is not only a symbol of peace, but a symbol of respect for others
and diversity. The wooden flagpole was placed in a flower stand. A man
passed by, took the flag, broke the stick and threw the flag on the ground.

Women in Black activist Miloš Uroševi reacted immediately, “This
gathering is registered with the police and you don’t have the right
to do that!�

The man responded, “Beat it, faggot, sicko! I will kill you, break
your arms and legs!� Then, Women in Black activist Natalija Vuškovi
interfered and Miloš went to the police.

He approached the police and said that the gathering was attacked,
that the flag was broken, and that they should come to the scene to
identify the attacker. However, the police were completely passive;
they did not pay attention to a violent act of vandalism. Miloš
returned to the fair. Because the police didn’t come, he again went to
the police to look for them to react. Only then, after the second
attempt, did the police officers go with Miloš to the table in
Beoizlog Restaurant where the attacker was sitting. Miloš pointed to
the attacker, who told the police officer in a ‘brotherly’ tone that
he broke the flag. He said it as if his behavior was normal, as if he
can allow himself to commit an act of violence that endangers others
and the different. The police did not react because they support a
culture of impunity. The police officer told Miloš, “You, bro, go over there!�

Miloš left. Afterwards, the police came and told Miloš that the
attacker told him that he broke the flag because it is a symbol of
‘sick homosexuality that you promote.’ Miloš said that that is an act
of hate speech and that to use our sexuality in that way discredits
all of us peace activists and defenders of human rights. The police
officer said that he took down the attacker’s information. He also
took a statement from Miloš as well as information from witnesses
Tijana Popivoda, Natalija Vuškovi , and Zorica Trifunovi .

This is only one in a series of attacks on Women in Black, on
political ideas, on the ethical principles of our women’s peace
politics. This act of violence is part of the continuity of repression
which Women in Black experiences from people, with Vojislav Koštunica
at the head, who support a social climate of impunity.

We demand that the authorized institutions bring criminal charges
against the attacker and that he be punished for his attack.”

Filed under: Uncategorized, Atrocities