German FIFA World Cup fan claims he was attacked at popular Toronto bar
German supporters packed the Toronto streets on Saturday after their national team scored a late winner against Côte d'Ivoire, but one fan's celebrations took a turn for the worse.
A small group of German supporters were celebrating the team's 2-1 victory at the popular King West bar, Paris Texas, when one of the three men was allegedly attacked by a group of five people after waving around a small rainbow-coloured fan.
The supporter recounted the incident on Instagram, claiming it began with homophobic slurs from a group of men in their early twenties before escalating into a physical confrontation.
"This photo is the result," the German fan wrote.
In one photo, the fan is seen with a bloodied face, heavy scratches and a torn Germany national team jersey.
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"Beaten up because of a rainbow flag," the caption under the post reads.
The fan told a German news outlet that he was able to free himself from the situation at first, but after he went back to retrieve something, he said he was sucker punched from the side.
"Unfortunately, there was little help from the bouncers," said the fan to the Rheinische Post. "Even the police, who appeared after 20 minutes, were not much support since the perpetrators had already fled."
The German fan allegedly ended up with a $5,000 medical bill with stitches needed to the right side of his face. But, he said, it wasn't the cost that left him speechless; it was the fact that "people still carry this kind of hate."
"This World Cup has written some beautiful stories, but this is one of its ugly ones, and pretending it doesn't exist helps no one," the fan wrote on Instagram.
He says his decision to share his story on social media is to be a voice in the LGBTQ+ community and draw attention to the hate.
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"I'm not gay myself. But I know the LGBTQ+ community lives with this every single day, and that's exactly why I won't stay silent," the fan wrote.
Toronto is considered one of the most progressive LGBTQ+ cities in North America and happens to host one of the largest Pride parades in the world each June.
Paris Texas said in a statement to blogTO that the bar is aware of the allegations related to the altercation and is actively cooperating with authorities as they review the matter.
"Paris Texas has established internal protocols and security procedures designed to prevent incidents of this nature and to ensure that all guests can enjoy a safe, respectful, and welcoming environment," the statement reads. "The safety and security of our patrons and staff remain our highest priority."
Toronto Police are reportedly investigating the incident.
@deutsche_kartoffeln_auf_die_1/Instagram | Fareen Karim
