Gay bashing in Zagreb

If you are gay and want to visit Zagreb, it might be good to know which spots in town you'd better avoid. Unfortunately, you'll need to go hiking in Medvednica or take a swim in Jarun as the center of Zagreb is crawling with people who might, in the best case, insult you.
Zagreb Pride published a map (click to enlarge) that shows the most dangerous locations in town for gays. Not surprisingly, the most dangerous street is Draškovićeva, and not because of the cinema complex, the Sheraton, a Chinese restaurant, a hospital and a ministry in that street. The threat comes from the headquarters of the Bad Blue Boys, Dinamo Zagreb's "fan club". The Bad Blue Boys have a terrifying record of violence against "others" - supporters of rival football clubs, homosexuals, foreigners...
The most severe punishment for anti-gay violence (14 months) was given to Bad Blue Boy Josip Šitum. He tried to attack participants of the Zagreb Pride 2007 with Molotov cocktails, on Zagreb's main square (Trg bana Josipa Jelačića). First thing he said after he was released: "I did what 70 percent of the Croats would do, if only they had the courage."
Orange dot: location of reported attack.
Red dot: particularly dangerous location.

Goodbye, Europe

Dinamo Zagreb has been kicked out of the UEFA-cup. The team lost 2-1 to Udinese and did not qualify for the next round. "Goodbye, Europe" say the headlines here.
Europe might respond: "Goodbye, Croatia. Hope not to see you for a while". Over the last years the hard core Dinamo fans, better known as the Bad Blue Boys, wreaked havoc in Graz, Udine, Prague, Bergamo and other cities. During the match against Udinese, some Bad Blue Boys threw flares on the field. Dinamo player Tomislav Šokota to calm the Bad Blue Boys, but got objects thrown at him. The match was suspended for ten minutes and then resumed.
Throwing flares is quite normal when Dinamo plays at home in the Maksimir Stadium. I took the picture below when Dinamo lost to Ajax Amsterdam, last year.
Dinamo might be suspended for a little longer than ten minutes. On 11 December UEFA will decide how Dinamo will be punished and exclusion from European football is one of the possibilities. In that case 2009 will offer the Croatian public little more than the deadly dull national competition.