Justice for a Homophobic Attack in Liège: A Sentence That Exposes the Limits of Accountability

A homophobic hate crime in Liège has led to a prison sentence, sending a strong but complex signal about how the justice system responds to anti-LGBTQIA+ violence in Belgium. The case highlights both the brutality queer people can still face in public space and the limits of accountability when most of the attackers are underage.

What happened in Liège?

In the early morning of 7 October 2024, around 5 a.m., a 28-year-old gay student was violently attacked on Place Cathédrale in Liège while walking home. According to the court’s findings, a group of nine young people aged 15 to 18 beat him for about twenty minutes, targeting him because of his sexual orientation.

The attackers filmed the assault and shared some of the images on Instagram, accompanied by openly homophobic comments. Seven boys and two girls were involved, but only the one who was already legally an adult at the time was sent to stand trial for the homophobic attack itself.

Sentences and recognition of homophobia

The main defendant, who admitted the homophobic nature of the violence, has now been sentenced by the Liège criminal court to five years in prison, with part of the sentence suspended on probation. This means he will serve a portion of his sentence under strict conditions rather than spending all of it behind bars.

Another young man from the same group, who reached adulthood later, was prosecuted for a different incident: in July 2025, he and the main defendant were involved in an attack on an 88-year-old woman, who was dragged several metres in the street so her bag could be stolen. He received a 30‑month prison sentence, with the remainder suspended, for requalified offences including failure to assist a person in danger and computer fraud.

A wider pattern of violence

The same group of youths, without the main defendant, also attacked another gay man during that same October night, showing that the first assault was not an isolated outburst but part of a pattern of targeted violence. The fact that the attackers filmed, shared, and mocked their victim online adds a digital layer to the brutality, turning a beating into a spectacle for others.

For queer people in Belgium, this case is a reminder that legal progress does not magically erase homophobia from streets, nightlife districts, or social media. Violence can be physical, verbal, and online – and often all three at once.

Why this matters for the LGBTQIA+ community

The conviction is important because it explicitly recognises the homophobic motive behind the attack. When courts name homophobia, they affirm that queer people are not just “random victims”, but targeted for who they are. That recognition matters: it shapes statistics, public policies, and social awareness.

At the same time, the fact that only one member of the group has been fully prosecuted for the homophobic assault raises difficult questions about shared responsibility, especially when minors are involved. For many LGBTQIA+ people, that can create a feeling of partial justice: the main perpetrator is punished, but the broader group dynamic that allowed the attack to happen remains under‑sanctioned.

Staying safe and seeking support

For LGBTQIA+ people in Belgium who have faced violence or harassment, several organisations and public services can help with legal, psychological, and social support. Reporting hate violence, even when it feels exhausting or intimidating, helps document realities that the community knows all too well – and pushes institutions to respond better.