On the evening of 19. October 2021 two people were attacked in Nordstadtpark. One person was briefly in mortal danger, a second person was at risk of losing sight. The attackers attacked the people for racist and anti-queer motives and identified themselves as neo-Nazis during the attack. With Blake, one of the attacked people, we talked about the incident and its consequences - but also about his political fight against queerophobia and racism.
Actually, they wanted on the evening of 19. October 2021 just spend a relaxing evening with friends, tells Blake. At some point a group of white men sat down next to the group of friends. “We didn't think anything of it at first, after all, this is a park – people come and sit there. But then in the course of the evening we kept having racist ones, heard sexist and generally anti-queer remarks, that they discussed among themselves. So we asked them, not to do that. On their part, that was relativized and ridiculed, they just kept going with it. "
The friends then distanced themselves from the men and went back to their places. “The mood became increasingly aggressive from the other side, so that they also began to insult us personally. My boyfriend is bisexual, I am trans and Kurd and that is what the insults were aimed at. Then I just tried, representing the whole of BIPOC and LGBT *- Community to respond. I got in a quiet, Tried emphatically, to seek the conversation. Most people often lack education and understanding. But that didn't work ", Blake continues.
The attackers were neo-Nazis
However, in further conversation it turned out, that the aggressive men in the Kassel neo-Nazi scene are networked. At least that's what they pretended to be, by using WhatsApp- Showing profiles of neo-Nazis in Kassel on their cell phones. The attack then happened suddenly. In response to Blake's question, why they are so hostile to him, one of the men hit Blake's head with his full beer bottle.
“My whole head was wet. I realized then, that I take blood thinners and that every small blow can mean death for me. The third buddy of us said then, that I'm bleeding like crazy. ”Meanwhile, the men's group intervened another person from the group of friends, which had tried, Defend Blake. His face was cut across his face with the rest of the broken beer bottles and tried, to stick out the eyes.
The third friend finally managed to call 911. When the police and ambulance arrived in Nordstadtpark - the attackers had already fled - the situation for Blake and his friends was far from over. When Blake was already in the ambulance, there was another argument between the police officers and his injured friend: “The police pushed him. I wasn't there anymore, because I was already in the ambulance by then. He reported later, that they got pretty rough in his condition, where you really should never have touched him violently. "
Not taken seriously in the hospital
The two injured were then taken to hospital. Blake was floating 72 Hours in acute danger. Through the blood thinners, that Blake takes, there was a risk of cerebral haemorrhage after the attack. His friend had an emergency eye operation. He saw double long after the attack and had a green haze in his field of vision.
In the hospital, so reports Blake, neither have had good experiences. The medical staff did not take his friend's injuries seriously. He himself discharged himself from the hospital at his own risk: “Because I also had very bad experiences in the hospital, I released myself at my own risk. That was probably not the smartest decision of mine. I had a concussion and was no longer in control of my senses. And when I went to the hospital again the next day, because my eyes went black, they sat with their arms crossed and refused to give me treatment. I said then, that this is failure to provide assistance. So I'm here right now, my eyes go black and I take blood thinners. I was laughed at. "
A few days ago Blake wanted to report the incident to the police and provide information about the perpetrators. The police officers didn't take him seriously either, Blake attributes this to queer hostility among police officers. He could watch through the window, how the police officers get their supplementary ID, who confirms being trans, looked at. They would have laughed and grimaced. “Apparently my trans ID card was made fun of, that was pretty clear. Generally speaking, you hear a lot, that people don't like going to the police. I personally too, I've had bad experiences with them too. Because there, as part of a marginalized group, one is often treated quite condescendingly and contemptuously. That is also a form of violence. "
Hardly any media coverage
The attack was initially not reported – neither in the local newspaper HNA, still in the blue light report of the police press office. “They write every trifle in there and a case like ours is not mentioned. But that would be important!“, so Blake for reporting. On the Reclaim-The-Streets-Demo am 29.11.2021, which responded to a racist attack on Friedrich-Ebert-Strasse in August this year, Blake gave a speech about the attack in North City Park, to make the attack more public and to point out the racist and queer-hostile motivation. "There, too, the HNA only reported the incident on Friedrich-Ebert-Strasse, which is also good and right. But everything, what I said, was not mentioned. "
On the question, how they are today, answers Blake: “Given the circumstances, I'm fine. Unfortunately, I've already experienced a lot of violence in my life, also with regard to the trans- Boobs. If that came from people close to me, it hurt me a lot. That's why I've put it away relatively well psychologically, because I think to myself: they were rights, one can expect from them, that they are queer hostile and racist. I don't take that to heart. Regarding our state of health, one can say, That my life was in danger and my buddy could have lost his eyesight. The danger is now over. But in general I want to take care of it, that that doesn't happen to anyone else. "
Political work in response to the attack
A consequence of the attack is, that Blake has become politically active again: “I'm trying to make sure of that now, that something changes. That is hard, but my hope is, that we sensitize as many people as possible and get them on our side. "
He would like to organize a demonstration in Nordstadtpark and is still looking for fellow campaigners: "It is important to me, that we are now loud as BiPoC and LGBT and make that visible, what happened there. It couldn't just have hit us, but it can still hit anyone. I never expected that either, that it is me because of my transsexuality and origin etc.. meets, because it seems so far away sometimes. But the perpetrators are here and they are networked. No matter if LGBT, queer people or cis **- People, no one is allowed to experience more violence. But just these groups, that I stand for right now, have been experiencing violence lately. It really is enough and the time has come, that we are accordingly active ".
Who wants to participate, can Blake contact by email. He's happy about it, when people approach him, to network with him. Who wants to support, could attend the demo- Participate in the organization or just take part in the demo. But there are also possibilities beyond that, stand up against queerophobia and racism: “Hold with the relatives in general, Talk to friends and acquaintances. Many people, who are not affected by it, often have no relation to it and they lack understanding. That would be a support, which would be generally helpful. "
*BIPoC (Black, Indigenious and People of Colour) stands for people, who experience racist discrimination. LGBT (Lesbian, Gay, With a- and trans) stands for lesbians, gay, Bisexual and trans people. Trans people do not or only partially identify with the gender assigned at birth.
** Cis stands for people, who identify with the gender registered at birth.