The awakening was bitter for the managers of a club in Udine, a meeting point for gays and lesbians in Friuli: the window, the walls, the pavements in front of their business were defaced in the middle of the night by unknown people who wrote ""gays at the stake"" and drew Nazi swastikas.
The complaint was collected by Enrico Pizza, a city councilor from Udine – alerted this morning by the managers who, to protect their business and themselves, are forced to remain anonymous.
The graffiti was removed almost immediately after the managers received complaints from passersby, but photographic evidence exists and will be submitted to the Public Prosecutor's Office along with a complaint against unknown persons.
Councilor Pizza asked the Municipal Police Emergency Response Unit to preserve the tapes from the local security cameras that may have recorded the events, which occurred after the restaurant closed at 3 a.m.
A further consideration from Pizza: ""On Saturday we held a demonstration of solidarity with the regular immigrants living in Udine. On Monday evening at the council meeting, we saw some right-wing activists in the audience, their symbols clearly displayed on their jackets. Could it be that last night's episode is part of a rise in intolerance in the city, perhaps among the extremist fringes and the thugs who surround them?
"Arcigay and Arcilesbica express concern over these incidents, which recall the precedent of the association's devastated stand—the only one among many—at Friulidoc in 2005.
It's not a simple act of vandalism – the presidents denounce Eva Dose And Daniele Brosolo – because it fits into a trail of hatred towards gays which is also affecting our country. Rapes of women because they are lesbians, beatings of gay club owners. These are just the latest news stories. And yet, even in Udine, we are daily reported to be harassed by homosexuals.
How can a young gay man feel at the beginning of a journey of self-acceptance if, among his classmates, the greatest offense is being homosexual? And seeing himself associated with the swastika or burned at the stake like the Inquisition did?.
Particularly serious, in fact, is the reference to Nazism through the swastikas. Less than two years ago, Arcigay organized an exhibition in the Sala Ajace—sponsored by the Municipality of Udine—to commemorate the Nazi-Fascist extermination of homosexuals.
Arcigay has been operating in the city for over 17 years. He also hopes for a climate of serenity and tolerance in Udine, asking for the city's solidarity, because every time swastikas are seen, all democratic forces should be alerted.
The bar's managers, visibly worried, will be working with great fear from now on and are therefore asking law enforcement to increase their vigilance. "These individuals' work has certainly been facilitated by the fact that the window is partially covered due to ongoing construction work. Now the work seems almost finished and the covering could be removed, but from tonight onwards we will be afraid to leave the bar.".
In any case, the managers have already taken action – encouraged by Arcigay – to make a solidarity party on Sunday evening, October 15, to which they invited customers and those responsible for the acts. Instead of operating at night and in secret, they could come and meet the people they offend directly.
Enrico Pizza, Udine City Councilor
Daniele Brosolo, President of Arcigay Nuovi Passi
Eva Dose, President of Arcilesbica Udine
