ECHR condemns Romania for failing to prosecute after horrendous anti-LGBT attack

The European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) has condemned authorities in Romania for failing to prosecute the perpetrators involved in a horrific anti-LGBT+ incident.

In February 2013, around 50 protestors invaded a cinema in Bucharest, Romania which was screening the LGBT+ film The Kids Are All Right, according to AFP. The event was organised by LGBT+ rights advocacy group ACCEPT.

But protestors stormed the venue and shouted “death to homosexuals” as well as homophobic slurs at people in the cinema. It was also alleged that the protestors were carrying far-right flags and symbols.

An investigation into the incident was closed on 14 October 2014, which described the attack as an “exchange of views”. Another investigation into whether the perpetrators displayed “fascist symbols” in public was discontinued in August 2017.

The ECHR ruled on Tuesday (1 June) that Romanian police “failed to prevent the homophobic slurs” and “ensure that the event could take place, despite adequate presence at the scene”. It also concluded the authorities “failed to offer adequate protection” to the applicants and to “effectively investigate the real nature of the homophobic abuse directed against them”.

Despite being a member of the European Union, Romania ranks 39th on ILGA-Europe's latest 2021 Rainbow Map with 19%.