What happened: During the celebration of the second anniversary of the LGBTI Support Center, a
group of approx. 40 masked perpetrators run by the coffee bar and stoned the object, while more
than sixty people were inside. During the attack two guests were in front of the premises, and the
group started hitting them with glass bottles and punches, yelling that “they have to leave” and that
“there is no place in the Old Bazaar for faggots”. Several of the guest inside gained small lacerations
from the broken glass.
Date, time and location of the incident: October 23rd, 21:30hrs, Coffee Bar Damar, Skopje Old Bazaar.
Source of information: Public announcement of the Helsinki Committee for Human Rights.
Victim(s) involved: Two people that gained serious bodily injuries, approx. Sixty people inside the
coffee bar.
Type of the crime(s): Bodily Harm (Art.130 CCRM), Damaging of other’s property (Art.243), Violence
(Art.386), Endangerment of safety (Art.144) Endangerment by dangerous means during a fight or
argument (Art.133).
Perpetrator(s): Unknown group of approx. thirty perpetrators.
Brief description of incident with bias indicators: The bias motive in this incident is sexual orientation
and gender identity, and the bias indicators in this incident are:
1. Cultural difference between perpetrator and victim – at the time of the incident, the victims were engaged
in activities promoting and celebrating their culture, sexual orientation and gender identity, and it
happened on the date of the second anniversary of the opening of the LGBTI Support Centre.
2. Comments – the perpetrators made offensive and threatening comments about the victim’s
community.
3. Pattern of previous incidents – this incident is the sixth attack against the LGBTI Support Centre and
its activities in the Old Bazaar during the two years of its existence.
4. Nature of violence – the incident was carried out in public.
5. Lack of other motives.
Status of the case: Under investigation.
Response of local authorities: The MOI answered on the Request for information sent by the
Committee that they have registered the incident and have submitted a report to the Public
prosecutor. However, there are no information related to the motive of the incident, and the MOI
states that they have registered only the act of violence unknown perpetrator/s.
Impact on the victim(s) and the community: This type of incidents brings into question the general
security situation of sexual minorities in the country.
