Masked attacker pepper-sprays three people at a Novi Sad venue; organisers call it anti-LGBT hate

A masked attacker pepper-sprayed people at the entrance to Crna kuća, an independent cultural venue in Novi Sad, on the evening of Saturday 10 October, during an event organised by the Antifascist Front 23 October (Antifašistički front 23. oktobar). The organisers describe the incident as motivated by hatred of LGBT people, according to the Novi Sad outlet 021.rs and the portal Luftika.

According to the organisers, a group of about five young men and one young woman had earlier harassed the person selling tickets on two occasions, hurling insults. Some time later, a person dressed in black, wearing a mask and a hood, came to the entrance and sprayed pepper spray at the people standing there. Three people were hit directly, the organisers say.

Police were called, arrived within minutes and took statements from those present, according to the same account. At the time of writing, police had made no public statement about the attacker’s identity or any arrest.

The Antifascist Front condemned the attack, saying it rejects all violence, threats and intimidation based on identity, sexual orientation or antifascist beliefs.

Novi Sad is Serbia’s second-largest city. Crna kuća regularly hosts concerts, talks and community gatherings, including queer events. It follows a Pride season in which events in several Serbian towns faced threats and a Pride caravan stop in Loznica was cut short by an attack.

Source: 021.rs, luftika.rs. English adaptation: gay-serbia.com.