Mr Gay Belgium violently beaten in anti-gay attack
(Photo by jaimie_deblieck/Instagram)
Mr Gay Belgium has been violently beaten and called abusive anti-gay slurs in the streets of his hometown.
Jaimie Deblieck was pushed to the ground, stomped and kicked by an attacker who called him a “f*cking homo” and other offensive things in Roeselare.
(Photo by Jaimie Deblieck/Facebook)
Writing about the alleged attack on Facebook, he explained that he was attacked from behind.
“Attacking me from behind and stamping on me is one thing. Calling me “fucking homo,” you’re gonna regret it. I’m not going to drop it, you coward,” he wrote.
Bram Bierkins, the organiser of the Mr Gay Belgium event said that Jaimie is “disappointed and angry”.
“He is a strong personality and he has also survived threats and other negative comments after his election,” he said.
Deblieck has not been left with any permanent injuries but he has reported the attack to police who are now investigating it.
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“A lot of people like me in our country have had to deal with physical violence because of their sexual orientation and they do not yet dare to express themselves.
“That’s why I decided to tell my story to the media. These incidents have to be reported.”
The 19-year-old won the title of Mr Gay Belgium last year after beating 22-year-old Muslim contestant Abdellah Bijat.
Bijat was the first Muslim man to reach the finals of the competition.
Speaking about his success at the time, he said: “In the Koran it says that we should be tolerant and open. That means respecting others, no matter what their preferences are.”
He said he wants to break down misconceptions about Islam and homosexuality and acceptance within the community.
“I want to show that 2016 should be a feasible year for the existence of different cultures including Islam, in order to all live in peace,” the former contestant said.
“It should be feasible for everyone to accept people as they are,” he added.
