Fatal stabbing draws more attention to muggings at Amsterdam gay cruising spot

A stabbing incident that led to the death of a 33-year-old Eastern European man in Amsterdam's Oosterpark on Friday, has led to more attention for muggings in this known meeting place for gay men. According to Ellie Lust of the Amsterdam police's LGBT team, there have been a series of incidents in the park in recent months, Het Parool reports.

"There have been several robberies", Lust said to the newspaper. "These men are a vulnerable target group because it often involves men who don't openly live a homosexual life. Then you can't just go to te police. This is a bit like crawling into the minds of the perpetrators, but maybe they look for that in their victis."

Gay interest group COC and D66 alderman Jan-Bert Vroege also received several reports of men who were attacked in Oosterpark. There were six or seven reports in recent months, one only a few days ago, according to the newspaper.

Even before the fatal stabbing on Friday, the police, Amsterdam municipality and COC have been looking for ways to make the situation in Oosterpark safer, COC spokesperson Peter de Ruiter said to the newspaper. "That has now become much more urgent."