Anti-immgrant protesters beat-up two men with rainbow flags in Groningen
A group of anti-immigrant protesters beat up two counter-protesters carrying a rainbow flag in the city of Groningen on Saturday. During the gay bashing, the group of youths took the victims’ rainbow flag, kicked them, and punched them, the victims told RTV Noord. They’ve reported the assault to the police.
The attack occurred on Cascadeplein shortly after an anti-immigration demonstration by the Nationaal Protest group on Ossenmarkt in Groningen’s city center. The two gay men were part of a counter-protest held nearby.
The counter protesters were leaving the area when the group of “five to six boys dressed in black” attacked them, Ramazan Bugday, one of the victims, told the broadcaster. “They came out of nowhere. We were not prepared for it at all. This certainly has an impact on us. My fellow demonstrator, in particular, took a heavy beating. He is also suffering the most from it.”
According to Bugday, their attackers can be seen in photos posted by the Nationaal Protest of the demonstration at Ossenmarkt. A video of the assault is also circulating on social media.
Before the assault, the demonstrations proceeded peacefully. Both groups more or less stuck to their assigned spots on either side of the square. There was some shouting back and forth, and the police briefly had to stand between the groups to prevent them from moving closer to each other, but this was only necessary for a short time, according to the broadcaster.
