Young trans man tragically dies away after being brutally attacked at Pride
A young trans man, who has only been identified as Malte, died just days after he was attacked during a Pride event in Münster, Germany. (Twitter/TransgenderGER)
A 25-year-old trans man has tragically died just days after he was brutally beaten at a Pride event in Münster, Germany.
The victim was assaulted during the city’s Christopher Street Day, an annual event celebrating the LGBTQ+ community and fighting discrimination, on Saturday (27 August).
The trans man – who has only been identified by authorities by his first name, Malte – confronted an unknown person who was hurling homophobic abuse at two women attending the LGBTQ+ event. The assailant knocked Malte down, punched him in the face and beat him until he was unconscious.
The young trans man was rushed to hospital and underwent several operations after suffering a devastating head injury.
Malte was placed in a medically-induced coma as he fought for his life in the hospital, but he died from his injuries on Friday (2 September).
The German government’s LGBTQ+ commissioner Sven Lehmann said Malte’s death made him “sad and shocked”. He offered his sympathies to the young trans man’s loved ones.
“The perpetrator of this horrific hate crime must be caught quickly and held accountable,” Lehmann said. “I hope Malte’s death will shake up our society.”
Lehmann described how Germany has a “big problem with hatred” towards the LGBTQ+ community and that violence against queer people is a “threat that can be deadly”. He called on Germans to “stand up against this violence every day”.
Nach einem queerfeindlichen Angriff beim CSD in Münster ist Malte C. heute seinen Verletzungen erlegen. Unser Beileid und tiefes Mitgefühl gelten seinen Angehörigen und Freund*innen. "Ich hoffe, dass Maltes Tod unsere Gesellschaft aufrüttelt." Queerbeauftragter @svenlehmann pic.twitter.com/7WkuJYnUei
— Familien-, Senioren-, Frauen- & Jugendministerium (@BMFSFJ) September 2, 2022
The Lesbian and Gay Association in Germany said it “mourns” the death of Malte, saying the attack on the trans man is a “hate crime that makes us angry and saddened”.
The organisation called on the police to immediately classify the attack as an anti-LGBTQ+ hate crime.
“The attack was not triggered by the young man’s efforts to mediate, as stated in a joint press release by the Münster police and public prosecutor’s office today, but by the deeply inhumane attitude of the perpetrators,” the organisation said. “This act shows once again how much we need action plans against transphobia and homophobia.”
German authorities are now on the hunt to find the trans man’s attacker and bring him to justice. Police said the suspect fled the scene on foot accompanied by another person.
The suspect has been described as being between 18 and 20 years old with a slight build and a beard. He was wearing wide-leg jeans, a t-shirt and a bucket hat.
His companion is said to have been around the same age, also male and wearing a white T-shirt.
A rally is due to be held close to where Malte was attacked this evening to highlight ongoing violence against LGBTQ+ people in Germany. Transgender Germany tweeted that 800 to 1,000 people are expected to attend the rally.
