“We have right to walk down the street without fear” – publico

                 

                         
                     

                 

 
                         

Activists of LGBT movements (lesbian, gay , bisexual and transgender) are mobilizing against what they believe is a hate crime: a young, 28, says he was assaulted by a taxi driver after having fired from a friend with a kiss on the mouth.

                     

                          “I think it was because of the kiss, I have no explanation for what happened,” says Sara Vasconcelos. “It was surreal. He did not say a word. Only laughed as I abused her. “And she wants to report it out loud. “I do not want anyone else to go through such a situation. We have right to walk down the street without fear. “

Last Sunday night, left the bar in which it works and it was a drink. Would be a 7:30 am 7:40 a.m. perhaps, when he entered the first taxi parked at the Republic Square in Porto. I was talking to the phone. The colleague who accompanied her told her how much you like her and she answered him with a kiss on the mouth.

He shut the taxi door without turning off the phone. I did not know need to street would. I told the taxi driver to follow to Infante Bridge, which then show him the way. The street, whose name escaped him, was just right. The man, who would appear to be between 35 and 40 years to take off. When she realized this, questioned him. And he will have told you that it did not indicate its destiny. She will have you repeated to follow, which then explain you the way, and he will be ordered to leave.

Sara surprised. He wondered why he was acting that way. As he put the phone and picked up the bag, the man left. “I was going to leave, had his hand on the knob, one leg on the street, he gave me a punch” he says. “I went to the front of the car to write down the number, told him he was going to report him and he gave me punching, kicking. I fell on the floor. He pulled me to my feet and dragged me in circles, few meters. He left me on the road. “

In the square, as if nothing had happened, continue two taxi drivers. Resorted to a team from the National Institute of Medical Emergency, which led to the Santo António General Hospital. He did not return home without first going through a Police station and the Legal Medicine Institute.

oped a week ago, still has a bruise on his face, back pain, neck, legs. The doctor advised him six to eight weeks of rest. Not combing. Moves on crutches – will have a muscle rupture in his right leg. Nor spoken to in entering a taxi.

How to respond?
It’s great indignation among LGBT activists. Several possibilities were this Saturday on the table: organize a “beijaço”; urge professional organizations to take a stand; pressing the Institute for Mobility and Transport (IMT), which gives the certificate of professional competence to take action. For now, decided to make an awareness campaign on Tuesday evening in the Republic Square.

Do you not think a mere physical integrity to the offense of murder. By law, “are likely to prove especially reprehensibility or perversity” crimes motivated by “racial hatred, religious, political or based on color, ethnic or national origin, sex, sexual orientation or the victim’s gender identity.”

“The country has changed greatly,” recognizes Sergio Vitorino, the Pink Panthers association. “There are legislative advances, we have a more open society, but homophobia still exists outside the relatively privileged means of big cities.”

There was meeting this Saturday on Radio Taxi. The episode puts into question the central name says Abilio Gomes, president of Radio Taxi. “Let’s call the owner of the taxi. We have to realize what happened. All aggression, whether verbal or physical, is unacceptable. “It may be suspended up to 90 days, after which it will be decided at a meeting whether or not expelled. Remains or is suspended license to drive taxi, it will be the IMT say.