Attacker says "Germans looked gay"

There are just some things you do not do in public no matter where you are! - So as a tourist you really need to adopt to the rules of the country you are visiting. Recently a woman got arrested in Dubai for walking through a shoping mall with her bikini, and a couple were jained for kissing in public. You would not go to Saudi Arabia and walk with your shorts down the street. If anyone remebers Pricess Diana, whenever she went to Middle East she adopted her dress code accordingly.

In the West you see man and women of same sex holding hands and kissing in public. This is still a big NO in Serbia. Most people are not gay and are not used to this sort of behavior. This does not mean that the attack should have taken place and there is no excuse for the crime. Reading through the lines the most likely motive was theft.

Going a step further Belgrade is still a very safe place to visit. These sort of crimes occur daily in the West (unfortunatelly) most never reported.

"Germans looked gay"

Well that's a great excuse. SICKO!!!

Zoran, if you really want to convince Albanians about your police authorities, then arrest Ratko Mladic.

Belgrade and Serbia in general are extremely dangerous, for foreigners and especially gay population. I myself am originally from Serbia and now been living in the U.S. for over 10 years. I would never recommend to any of my friends to go to Serbia. Not until the government takes proactive steps to protect people. At this point, they couldn't care less, the place is a corrupted mess, these criminals get away with anything, the law is practically non-existent, hate groups which call for murder of ethnic minorities and gays roam freely and the government isn't doing a thing about it.
So do yourself a favor and unless you have to go to Serbia (and why would you?!) don't even think about it. There's nothing worth seeing here anyway.

That's his excuse?

LOL.

Not only is that an admission of guilt but grounds for a hate-crime enhancement on the punishment.

Well, "Code of Conduct", I think Serbia should strive for higher standards of personal freedom and safety than Saudi Arabia, of all places! Don't you think?

There's no excuse for a crime like this. And heck, for all we know, the attacker may have made up the "homo" story altogether. He's a thief and a brute, after all - not exactly a trustworthy person.

So cut out the "gay" discussion. It's likely untrue and definitely irrelevant.

"There are just some things you do not do in public no matter where you are! - So as a tourist you really need to adopt to the rules of the country you are visiting. Recently a woman got arrested in Dubai for walking through a shoping mall with her bikini, and a couple were jained for kissing in public. You would not go to Saudi Arabia and walk with your shorts down the street. If anyone remebers Pricess Diana, whenever she went to Middle East she adopted her dress code accordingly."
(Code of Conduct, 13 August 2010 13:28)

Interesting that some people see Serbia being on a similar level as some mediaeval-minded Asian or African Muslim-dominated Sharia countries. So far I thought Serbia is a modern, christian, democratic and European country??

Zoran, i don't understand what Kosovo and Albania has to do with case???

Lol,, man this gotta be a joke right? coz they thought they were gay? lets kill em... Lol.. this shows how dangerous that place is... keep out u lot.. keep out of Serbia...

I speak as a "western" european (Scotland) and as a frequent visitor to Serbia and Belgrade. I agree with all those who say that Belgrade is a much safer places than most cities - and much friendlier. However, I have to say that there is also a high degree of homophobia. I have only ever witnessed one attack in Serbia (a serb attacking another serb). Judging by the comments, the victim was seen by the thug as being gay. Others witnessed but did not come to the support of the victim, some even saying that "the gay guy shouldn't be here" (downtown Belgrade). Worse, all agreed (even the victim) that it was pointless going to the police as they were homophobic too!

My main point is this - Serbia is absolutely a wonderful peaceful, friendly place, and visitors from other countries really ought to go and see for themselves. But absolutely not so if you are, or thought to be gay! I wish it were different.

peace and respect to all.
GRUK

"hugging and kissing"...I see this countless times every day between Serbian men. Nothing 'gay' about it.

"this shows how dangerous that place is... keep out u lot.. keep out of Serbia..."
(Darren.p)

Darren, I don't know where you are posting from but it's obvious you've never been to Belgrade or anywhere in Serbia. I visit Serbia once or twice every year and have done so for several years now. I spend most of my time in Belgrade and I have never felt in the least threathened, let alone suffered any violence. It is a remarkably safe city for the size of it. So keep your anti-Serb nonsense to yourself.

Great police work to catch the attacker so quickly. It's now obvious this wasn't a racial attack but a homophobic one. Lock him up and use this as a deterrent to others.

If this was a case in "Kosova" against a non-Albanian we all know it would never be solved.

Belgrade and Serbia in general are extremely dangerous, for foreigners and especially gay population. I myself am originally from Serbia and now been living in the U.S. for over 10 years. I would never recommend to any of my friends to go to Serbia. Not until the government takes proactive steps to protect people. At this point, they couldn't care less, the place is a corrupted mess, these criminals get away with anything, the law is practically non-existent, hate groups which call for murder of ethnic minorities and gays roam freely and the government isn't doing a thing about it.
So do yourself a favor and unless you have to go to Serbia (and why would you?!) don't even think about it. There's nothing worth seeing here anyway.
(nyc, 13 August 2010 17:44)

More nonsense written by an Albanian spoofer posing as a Serb. I have been to Belgrade and all over Serbia loads of times and not once did I feel threatened. The only time I did however get into a spot of bother once in Smederevo with the local cops. Had one too many, fell out of a nightclub. The guys were sympathetic and escorted back to my hotel.

Belgrade and I have never felt in the least threathened, let alone suffered any violence. It is a remarkably safe city for the size of it. So keep your anti-Serb nonsense to yourself.
(Tom O'Donoghue, 13 August 2010 15:54)

Tom, this guy is not even worth the typing, important is that most of us foreigners that indeed have a knowledge about Bg are spreading the right message i.e. Bg is not only a very safe city, it is full of friendly, ,nice and welcoming people and that's the end of the story !!!

Whether or not these tourists were attacked because they were perceived to be gay is highly relevant. This would make it a hate crime and it should be prosecuted as such.

To all those posting in defense of the safety of Belgrade and Serbia in general, this is true in terms of general street crime but this is absolutely not true for those believed to be gay or "acting" gay. It is similar in most countries in the region and in much of the world but this does not in any way justify such an attack.

Serbia is capable of becoming a country where such differences are respected and tolerated. If this is truly the "excuse" given by the attacker then it is also important to ask exactly how he was threatened by the two young Germans.

Top said: "So far I thought Serbia is a modern, christian, democratic and European country??"
Well, if this is a question then my answer is NO,NO and NO!

Zoran, i don't understand what Kosovo and Albania has to do with case???
(Valbona, 13 August 2010 12:28)
--
Just the fact that ethnic Albanians have taken a keen interest in this case so a comparison is made between the way Serbians handle crime and the criminals in Pristina. If you ever followed cases in "Kosova" against non-Albanians you'd realise practically all go unsolved.

I'm not so sure that Belgrade and Serbia are worthy of tourism. They certainly appear to have much work to do to meet civilized European standards. Lets review. Last Fall, the Government of Serbia announced that it couldn't protect Gay Serbians in the center of its capital city from enraged mobs of Serbians looking to kill or harm them. During that weekend, a Frenchman was murdered in a related crime. The Serbian population and its government do not seem to admit that Gays exist and deserve the SAME rights as straight Serbians.

Instead of having straight Serbians speak about how safe Belgrade is, why not ask Gay Serbians about how safe they feel leaving a Gay bar or protesting for their rights in central Belgrade. Gay Serbians are all over Europe. And they are talking. And few have much nice to say about their home country. Why not ask THEM about their concerns.

I'd also like to ask you guys to ask the Serbian Orthodox Church to answer the following question. "Do you oppose the right of Gay Serbians to protest on the central streets of Belgrade while being openly identified as Gay". Ask them if they will publically sanction Orthodox Priests seen with violent anti-Gay protesters harassing Gay Serbians protesting for their rights.

Serbia appears to be a failed state. We'll see if Serbian Gays can actually protest on the central streets of Belgrade this year. And blocking off streets isn't the solution. The solution is to arrest the skinheads that run rampant over the streets of Belgrade so that the Gay Pride Parade in Central Belgrade does not need to be blocked off from supporters in the Serbian public.

This is a sicko excuse from a sicko man, totally irrelevant and will not prevent to get him the well-deserved sentence.

The "Yosemite Monster" had an excuse that he raped and killed the tourist girls because the voices in the skies told him so. But the "voices in the skies" also told the jurors in California, multiple capital offenses ask for capital punishment. I am not supporting capital punishment, but in certain cases like of "Yosemite Monster" I won't lose sleep if "Yosemite Monster" is finished.

Kristijan, Kristijan, what a shame to waste your life for such insignificant issue.

Taking into account what your parents have done for you and how they love you, you should be ashamed to waste your life in this manner.

Zoran wrote: "wasn't a racial attack but a homophobic one"
So no problem at all if "people belonging to that race looks like gays"?!

Belgrade and Serbia in general are extremely dangerous, for foreigners and especially gay population. I myself am originally from Serbia and now been living in the U.S. for over 10 years. I would never recommend to any of my friends to go to Serbia.
(nyc, 13 August 2010 17:44)

I suggest you than to visit East Palo Alto or Bridgeport. As for NYC, there are some not-so-nice corners of it. I never heard even any LIVE K-Albanian to say such things about Belgrade. But of course, internet-trolls say what they want. Sick bunch of people, keyboard warriors. The few exceptions here have my praise. Not a single day without trolling.

This is how you want to make your "Kosova" popular? You won't, this works precisely the opposite.

Tom, this guy is not even worth the typing,
(The Swiss, 13 August 2010 16:39)
You are right he does not even reach the level of Joe's comments.

I visit Serbia once or twice every year and have done so for several years now. I spend most of my time in Belgrade and I have never felt in the least threathened, let alone suffered any violence. It is a remarkably safe city for the size of it. So keep your anti-Serb nonsense to yourself.
(Tom O'Donoghue)

Tom, you surely must be heterosexual.

This kind of stuff happens here in the US all the time and it's disgusting. See CNN interview. http://www.cnn.com/video/data/2.0/video/crime/2009/03/01/lane.antigay.attack.komo.html.
I know many people don't like gay individuals but there is no reason to attack them or people who look gay.

Zoran wrote: "wasn't a racial attack but a homophobic one"
So no problem at all if "people belonging to that race looks like gays"?!
(Ilyrian from Vushtrri, 13 August 2010 17:49)

I think Zoran wanted to say "ethnic" instead of "racial", i.e.

"wasn't an ethnic attack but a homophobic one".

IMO, it was neither, just a primitive robbery attempt. Than the idiot tried to make a lame excuse. He was thinking, the victims are young and easy target.

This happens in Hungary on a daily basis. These "deeds" are sometimes called here "minority crime" - with right or not, associated with a certain minority. Wonder, how about Serbia. In any case, "Kristijan Živanović" is with nearly 100% probability is of non-Serbian background. The original name was Živanov.

Or maybe just one-way ticket, who knows...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yYqQeDKcqrI

The attacker said they were hugging and kissing (and who knows what else) so it was their actions, not just their looks, that pointed to them being gay. Further it says that one was 18 while the other was a minor - now isn't it illegal for an adult (18 is often considered the age when someone becomes and adult) to consort with a minor like this?
At the very least they could have waited until they got a room. I don't think foreigners flaunting gay behavior in a public place is very respectful - they can do it in traditionally gay cities such as San Francisco, where roberto the anti-Serb propagandist lives, but should not do it in Belgrade.

And I'm sure it's fine with Belgrade if demonstrative gays never come.

The argument that this kinda stuff happens everywhere in the world is misguided. It's not a question whether attacks happen or not, but their number PER CAPITA, as well as the location and nature of the attacks within a city, particular neighborhood etc.

Showing an example of a homophobic attack in the U.S. (a country of 310 million) is practically insignificant comparing to the situation in Serbia. Also, the modern world has bad neighborhood, sure, but people know not to go there. These attacks that happen in Serbia are taking place in major public areas, top tourist spots, sometimes in the middle of the day, in front of big crowds. What happened to Brice Taton is absolutely unheard of in the civilized world. Can you imagine a person getting brutally attacked and killed in such a way, say walking down 5th Av in NYC, or Times Sq, London's Leicester Sq etc? He wasn't sitting in some shady, dangerous neighborhood, but right downtown Belgrade, at an outdoor cafe, on a major pedestrian street, in the middle of the day...
THAT, I've never heard of happening in the developed world.
I'm amazed at the types of excuses and justifications in some of these comments - implying that this is somehow OK!

I have been mugged and beaten up in Zurich in 1995 on my way back from Yugoslavia... I had to stay one night in Zurich to catch my plane for Canada. This is just a "fait divers", could happen anywhere...

Realnost, just because you like to discriminate against people regardless of race, creed, or sexual orientation, doesn't mean that what I wrote about the attack in the US doesn't have credibility. First, I live in this country and know very well how people who are perceived as different are treated. I presented just one example but can present many many more if you'd like. Here are FBI statistics from the FBI website that documents hate crimes, including those targeted at homosexual individuals: http://www.fbi.gov/ucr/hc2008/victims.html.
Clearly crime against gays is not an isolated incident.

Now, regarding murders in public places, check this one out; imagine a man being killed over a spilled drink:
http://www.myfoxphilly.com/dpp/news/local_news/072709_Phillies_Fan_Beating_Death.
So you see, before you pump your wimpy chest about how horrible Serbia is, perhaps you should visit the US and see what hate crimes and other idiotic crimes are all about.
OK, since you got me started, here are some homicide stats (international):
http://www.data360.org/graph_group.aspx?Graph_Group_Id=441.
Enjoy!

Just read that a second German tourist was killed this week in San Francisco.

The latest was by a hit and run, while the first was shot to death while walking -->

http://www.mercurynews.com/breaking-news/ci_15788476?nclick_check=1

Another German tourist killed in San Francisco

08/15/2010

SAN FRANCISCO -- A bicyclist who was killed in a hit-and-run accident Friday night in San Francisco has been identified as 21-year-old Nils Linke, who was a tourist from Germany, according to the San Francisco medical examiner's office. His death marks the second German tourist to be killed by violent crime in the past week.

...

It's been a bad week for German tourists in San Francisco, as 50-year-old Mechtild Schroeer of Minden, Germany, was fatally shot at about 9 p.m. last Sunday while walking in the 400 block of Mason Street in the city's theater district.

Great police work to catch the attacker so quickly. It's now obvious this wasn't a racial attack but a homophobic one. Lock him up and use this as a deterrent to others.

If this was a case in "Kosova" against a non-Albanian we all know it would never be solved.

"Germans looked gay"

Well that's a great excuse. SICKO!!!

That's his excuse?

LOL.

Not only is that an admission of guilt but grounds for a hate-crime enhancement on the punishment.

Lol,, man this gotta be a joke right? coz they thought they were gay? lets kill em... Lol.. this shows how dangerous that place is... keep out u lot.. keep out of Serbia...

Well, "Code of Conduct", I think Serbia should strive for higher standards of personal freedom and safety than Saudi Arabia, of all places! Don't you think?

There's no excuse for a crime like this. And heck, for all we know, the attacker may have made up the "homo" story altogether. He's a thief and a brute, after all - not exactly a trustworthy person.

So cut out the "gay" discussion. It's likely untrue and definitely irrelevant.

Zoran, i don't understand what Kosovo and Albania has to do with case???
(Valbona, 13 August 2010 12:28)
--
Just the fact that ethnic Albanians have taken a keen interest in this case so a comparison is made between the way Serbians handle crime and the criminals in Pristina. If you ever followed cases in "Kosova" against non-Albanians you'd realise practically all go unsolved.

Belgrade and Serbia in general are extremely dangerous, for foreigners and especially gay population. I myself am originally from Serbia and now been living in the U.S. for over 10 years. I would never recommend to any of my friends to go to Serbia. Not until the government takes proactive steps to protect people. At this point, they couldn't care less, the place is a corrupted mess, these criminals get away with anything, the law is practically non-existent, hate groups which call for murder of ethnic minorities and gays roam freely and the government isn't doing a thing about it.
So do yourself a favor and unless you have to go to Serbia (and why would you?!) don't even think about it. There's nothing worth seeing here anyway.

"There are just some things you do not do in public no matter where you are! - So as a tourist you really need to adopt to the rules of the country you are visiting. Recently a woman got arrested in Dubai for walking through a shoping mall with her bikini, and a couple were jained for kissing in public. You would not go to Saudi Arabia and walk with your shorts down the street. If anyone remebers Pricess Diana, whenever she went to Middle East she adopted her dress code accordingly."
(Code of Conduct, 13 August 2010 13:28)

Interesting that some people see Serbia being on a similar level as some mediaeval-minded Asian or African Muslim-dominated Sharia countries. So far I thought Serbia is a modern, christian, democratic and European country??

Zoran, if you really want to convince Albanians about your police authorities, then arrest Ratko Mladic.

There are just some things you do not do in public no matter where you are! - So as a tourist you really need to adopt to the rules of the country you are visiting. Recently a woman got arrested in Dubai for walking through a shoping mall with her bikini, and a couple were jained for kissing in public. You would not go to Saudi Arabia and walk with your shorts down the street. If anyone remebers Pricess Diana, whenever she went to Middle East she adopted her dress code accordingly.

In the West you see man and women of same sex holding hands and kissing in public. This is still a big NO in Serbia. Most people are not gay and are not used to this sort of behavior. This does not mean that the attack should have taken place and there is no excuse for the crime. Reading through the lines the most likely motive was theft.

Going a step further Belgrade is still a very safe place to visit. These sort of crimes occur daily in the West (unfortunatelly) most never reported.

The attacker said they were hugging and kissing (and who knows what else) so it was their actions, not just their looks, that pointed to them being gay. Further it says that one was 18 while the other was a minor - now isn't it illegal for an adult (18 is often considered the age when someone becomes and adult) to consort with a minor like this?
At the very least they could have waited until they got a room. I don't think foreigners flaunting gay behavior in a public place is very respectful - they can do it in traditionally gay cities such as San Francisco, where roberto the anti-Serb propagandist lives, but should not do it in Belgrade.

And I'm sure it's fine with Belgrade if demonstrative gays never come.

Belgrade and Serbia in general are extremely dangerous, for foreigners and especially gay population. I myself am originally from Serbia and now been living in the U.S. for over 10 years. I would never recommend to any of my friends to go to Serbia.
(nyc, 13 August 2010 17:44)

I suggest you than to visit East Palo Alto or Bridgeport. As for NYC, there are some not-so-nice corners of it. I never heard even any LIVE K-Albanian to say such things about Belgrade. But of course, internet-trolls say what they want. Sick bunch of people, keyboard warriors. The few exceptions here have my praise. Not a single day without trolling.

This is how you want to make your "Kosova" popular? You won't, this works precisely the opposite.

Belgrade and I have never felt in the least threathened, let alone suffered any violence. It is a remarkably safe city for the size of it. So keep your anti-Serb nonsense to yourself.
(Tom O'Donoghue, 13 August 2010 15:54)

Tom, this guy is not even worth the typing, important is that most of us foreigners that indeed have a knowledge about Bg are spreading the right message i.e. Bg is not only a very safe city, it is full of friendly, ,nice and welcoming people and that's the end of the story !!!

"this shows how dangerous that place is... keep out u lot.. keep out of Serbia..."
(Darren.p)

Darren, I don't know where you are posting from but it's obvious you've never been to Belgrade or anywhere in Serbia. I visit Serbia once or twice every year and have done so for several years now. I spend most of my time in Belgrade and I have never felt in the least threathened, let alone suffered any violence. It is a remarkably safe city for the size of it. So keep your anti-Serb nonsense to yourself.

Top said: "So far I thought Serbia is a modern, christian, democratic and European country??"
Well, if this is a question then my answer is NO,NO and NO!

Belgrade and Serbia in general are extremely dangerous, for foreigners and especially gay population. I myself am originally from Serbia and now been living in the U.S. for over 10 years. I would never recommend to any of my friends to go to Serbia. Not until the government takes proactive steps to protect people. At this point, they couldn't care less, the place is a corrupted mess, these criminals get away with anything, the law is practically non-existent, hate groups which call for murder of ethnic minorities and gays roam freely and the government isn't doing a thing about it.
So do yourself a favor and unless you have to go to Serbia (and why would you?!) don't even think about it. There's nothing worth seeing here anyway.
(nyc, 13 August 2010 17:44)

More nonsense written by an Albanian spoofer posing as a Serb. I have been to Belgrade and all over Serbia loads of times and not once did I feel threatened. The only time I did however get into a spot of bother once in Smederevo with the local cops. Had one too many, fell out of a nightclub. The guys were sympathetic and escorted back to my hotel.

Zoran, i don't understand what Kosovo and Albania has to do with case???

I visit Serbia once or twice every year and have done so for several years now. I spend most of my time in Belgrade and I have never felt in the least threathened, let alone suffered any violence. It is a remarkably safe city for the size of it. So keep your anti-Serb nonsense to yourself.
(Tom O'Donoghue)

Tom, you surely must be heterosexual.

I speak as a "western" european (Scotland) and as a frequent visitor to Serbia and Belgrade. I agree with all those who say that Belgrade is a much safer places than most cities - and much friendlier. However, I have to say that there is also a high degree of homophobia. I have only ever witnessed one attack in Serbia (a serb attacking another serb). Judging by the comments, the victim was seen by the thug as being gay. Others witnessed but did not come to the support of the victim, some even saying that "the gay guy shouldn't be here" (downtown Belgrade). Worse, all agreed (even the victim) that it was pointless going to the police as they were homophobic too!

My main point is this - Serbia is absolutely a wonderful peaceful, friendly place, and visitors from other countries really ought to go and see for themselves. But absolutely not so if you are, or thought to be gay! I wish it were different.

peace and respect to all.
GRUK

Zoran wrote: "wasn't a racial attack but a homophobic one"
So no problem at all if "people belonging to that race looks like gays"?!

I'm not so sure that Belgrade and Serbia are worthy of tourism. They certainly appear to have much work to do to meet civilized European standards. Lets review. Last Fall, the Government of Serbia announced that it couldn't protect Gay Serbians in the center of its capital city from enraged mobs of Serbians looking to kill or harm them. During that weekend, a Frenchman was murdered in a related crime. The Serbian population and its government do not seem to admit that Gays exist and deserve the SAME rights as straight Serbians.

Instead of having straight Serbians speak about how safe Belgrade is, why not ask Gay Serbians about how safe they feel leaving a Gay bar or protesting for their rights in central Belgrade. Gay Serbians are all over Europe. And they are talking. And few have much nice to say about their home country. Why not ask THEM about their concerns.

I'd also like to ask you guys to ask the Serbian Orthodox Church to answer the following question. "Do you oppose the right of Gay Serbians to protest on the central streets of Belgrade while being openly identified as Gay". Ask them if they will publically sanction Orthodox Priests seen with violent anti-Gay protesters harassing Gay Serbians protesting for their rights.

Serbia appears to be a failed state. We'll see if Serbian Gays can actually protest on the central streets of Belgrade this year. And blocking off streets isn't the solution. The solution is to arrest the skinheads that run rampant over the streets of Belgrade so that the Gay Pride Parade in Central Belgrade does not need to be blocked off from supporters in the Serbian public.

This is a sicko excuse from a sicko man, totally irrelevant and will not prevent to get him the well-deserved sentence.

The "Yosemite Monster" had an excuse that he raped and killed the tourist girls because the voices in the skies told him so. But the "voices in the skies" also told the jurors in California, multiple capital offenses ask for capital punishment. I am not supporting capital punishment, but in certain cases like of "Yosemite Monster" I won't lose sleep if "Yosemite Monster" is finished.

This kind of stuff happens here in the US all the time and it's disgusting. See CNN interview. http://www.cnn.com/video/data/2.0/video/crime/2009/03/01/lane.antigay.attack.komo.html.
I know many people don't like gay individuals but there is no reason to attack them or people who look gay.

Zoran wrote: "wasn't a racial attack but a homophobic one"
So no problem at all if "people belonging to that race looks like gays"?!
(Ilyrian from Vushtrri, 13 August 2010 17:49)

I think Zoran wanted to say "ethnic" instead of "racial", i.e.

"wasn't an ethnic attack but a homophobic one".

IMO, it was neither, just a primitive robbery attempt. Than the idiot tried to make a lame excuse. He was thinking, the victims are young and easy target.

This happens in Hungary on a daily basis. These "deeds" are sometimes called here "minority crime" - with right or not, associated with a certain minority. Wonder, how about Serbia. In any case, "Kristijan Živanović" is with nearly 100% probability is of non-Serbian background. The original name was Živanov.

Or maybe just one-way ticket, who knows...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yYqQeDKcqrI

The argument that this kinda stuff happens everywhere in the world is misguided. It's not a question whether attacks happen or not, but their number PER CAPITA, as well as the location and nature of the attacks within a city, particular neighborhood etc.

Showing an example of a homophobic attack in the U.S. (a country of 310 million) is practically insignificant comparing to the situation in Serbia. Also, the modern world has bad neighborhood, sure, but people know not to go there. These attacks that happen in Serbia are taking place in major public areas, top tourist spots, sometimes in the middle of the day, in front of big crowds. What happened to Brice Taton is absolutely unheard of in the civilized world. Can you imagine a person getting brutally attacked and killed in such a way, say walking down 5th Av in NYC, or Times Sq, London's Leicester Sq etc? He wasn't sitting in some shady, dangerous neighborhood, but right downtown Belgrade, at an outdoor cafe, on a major pedestrian street, in the middle of the day...
THAT, I've never heard of happening in the developed world.
I'm amazed at the types of excuses and justifications in some of these comments - implying that this is somehow OK!

Realnost, just because you like to discriminate against people regardless of race, creed, or sexual orientation, doesn't mean that what I wrote about the attack in the US doesn't have credibility. First, I live in this country and know very well how people who are perceived as different are treated. I presented just one example but can present many many more if you'd like. Here are FBI statistics from the FBI website that documents hate crimes, including those targeted at homosexual individuals: http://www.fbi.gov/ucr/hc2008/victims.html.
Clearly crime against gays is not an isolated incident.

Now, regarding murders in public places, check this one out; imagine a man being killed over a spilled drink:
http://www.myfoxphilly.com/dpp/news/local_news/072709_Phillies_Fan_Beating_Death.
So you see, before you pump your wimpy chest about how horrible Serbia is, perhaps you should visit the US and see what hate crimes and other idiotic crimes are all about.
OK, since you got me started, here are some homicide stats (international):
http://www.data360.org/graph_group.aspx?Graph_Group_Id=441.
Enjoy!

Whether or not these tourists were attacked because they were perceived to be gay is highly relevant. This would make it a hate crime and it should be prosecuted as such.

To all those posting in defense of the safety of Belgrade and Serbia in general, this is true in terms of general street crime but this is absolutely not true for those believed to be gay or "acting" gay. It is similar in most countries in the region and in much of the world but this does not in any way justify such an attack.

Serbia is capable of becoming a country where such differences are respected and tolerated. If this is truly the "excuse" given by the attacker then it is also important to ask exactly how he was threatened by the two young Germans.

"hugging and kissing"...I see this countless times every day between Serbian men. Nothing 'gay' about it.

Tom, this guy is not even worth the typing,
(The Swiss, 13 August 2010 16:39)
You are right he does not even reach the level of Joe's comments.

Kristijan, Kristijan, what a shame to waste your life for such insignificant issue.

Taking into account what your parents have done for you and how they love you, you should be ashamed to waste your life in this manner.

I have been mugged and beaten up in Zurich in 1995 on my way back from Yugoslavia... I had to stay one night in Zurich to catch my plane for Canada. This is just a "fait divers", could happen anywhere...

Just read that a second German tourist was killed this week in San Francisco.

The latest was by a hit and run, while the first was shot to death while walking -->

http://www.mercurynews.com/breaking-news/ci_15788476?nclick_check=1

Another German tourist killed in San Francisco

08/15/2010

SAN FRANCISCO -- A bicyclist who was killed in a hit-and-run accident Friday night in San Francisco has been identified as 21-year-old Nils Linke, who was a tourist from Germany, according to the San Francisco medical examiner's office. His death marks the second German tourist to be killed by violent crime in the past week.

...

It's been a bad week for German tourists in San Francisco, as 50-year-old Mechtild Schroeer of Minden, Germany, was fatally shot at about 9 p.m. last Sunday while walking in the 400 block of Mason Street in the city's theater district.