One of Bulgaria’s far-right presidential candidates is suspected of leading a gang during an attack on an LGBTQ+ community centre.
On 30 October, the Rainbow Hub in Sofia, Bulgaria, was attacked by a group of 10 men who were allegedly led by Boyan Rassate.
Rassate is a self-proclaimed national socialist with the Bulgarian National Union party running for presidential office in the 14 November elections.
The incident happened during a trans community event, with the assailants vandalising the space and smashing equipment.
Speaking to Euronews, Gloriya Filipova, the Foundation’s project coordinator, said: “I tried to stop them. I started to scream ‘no’, I spread my arms and tried to stop them from entering the space.”
“They entered and just spread around all the rooms and started to break everything,” she continued.
Filipova says that Rassate punched her in the face, with another attacker slashing the tyres of a scooter parked inside the establishment.
Bulgaria’s Central Election Commission has revoked Rassate’s immunity at the request of the country’s prosecutor general, meaning that he could be prosecuted before the elections take place.
In a statement, the prosecutor general said Rassate was “a perpetrator” who “committed indecent acts, grossly violating public order and expressing manifest disrespect for society”.
Images of the community centre were circulated on social media by the Bilitis Foundation, the oldest active LGBTQ+ organisation in the country that manages the Rainbow Hub.
“Our office and LGBTI community center in Sofia – Rainbow Hub – was attacked tonight during a trans community gathering,” the Foundation wrote on Twitter. “The leader of the attack Boyan Rasate is well known for his LGBTI-phobic actions and statements, and is currently running for president in Bulgaria.”
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