Danish politician’s partner ‘violently attacked for being gay’
The fiance of a high-ranking Danish politician was assaulted yesterday, allegedly for being gay.
Josue Medina Vazquez, who has been engaged to the Danish Justice Minister Søren Pape Poulsen for a year, was violently attacked in front of a bar in Copenhagen at around 3:30am Thursday morning, The Local DK reported.
A man allegedly shouted: “I do not like homosexuals” before punching Vazquez in the face at the LA Tequila Bar in the city’s Gammel Mønt street.
Copenhagen police has said it has arrested a man of Slovenian origin on charges of “hate crime and violence.”
The couple met in by chance in 2013, while Vazquez was working in Brussels. They are due to marry this year, but have not yet set a wedding date.
Poulsen said on social media: “We’re looking forward and processing the event as best we can now.”
Vazquez, who grew up in the Dominican Republic, has posted a picture on Facebook which says: “No to hate crimes.”
Prime Minister, Lars Løkke Rasmussen, who leads the Coalition which Poulsen serves in, added: “You should be free to live your life as you wish. It should be a matter of course in 2018. Thoughts to Søren and Josue.”
Poulsen, who is leader of the Danish Conservative Party, has served as the country’s justice minister since 2014.