[Glenn.]

German football referee Pascal Kaiser was physically assaulted at his home in the early hours of Sunday morning (8 February), days after gaining international attention for a public marriage proposal during a Bundesliga match.

Kaiser proposed to his boyfriend, Moritz, at Cologne’s RheinEnergieStadion ahead of a league fixture between 1. FC Köln and VfL Wolfsburg, which ended in a 1-0 victory. The proposal took place in front of almost 50,000 spectators and was widely shared online.

According to French newspaper, L’Équipe, Kaiser received threats in the days following the proposal, including messages referencing his home address. Kaiser has said that he contacted police the day before the assault to report the threats and was advised there was no immediate danger.

“Terrible message, if you make yourself visible we’ll put you in the closet” – Spanish actress and LGBTQ+ activist Carla Antonelli

Kaiser has since stated that around 20 minutes after speaking with police, he went into his garden to smoke a cigarette, where three men were waiting. He was then attacked, suffering an injury to his right eye.

Kaiser has said that around 20 minutes after speaking to police, he went into his garden to smoke a cigarette, where three men were waiting. He was then attacked, suffering an injury to his right eye.




Spanish politician and LGBTQ+ activist Carla Antonelli later shared an image taken by Kaiser of his bruised face to Instagram.

Her caption translated to, “Terrible message, if you make yourself visible we’ll put you in the closet: Referee Pascal Kaiser, who proposed to his partner before the Cologne-Wolfsburg match, was assaulted at his home. It is known that prior to the assault, the address of Pascal Kaiser’s house had leaked on social media and received direct threats. Police intervened after the attack and Pascal Kaiser is now in a safe place under police protection.”

Kaiser came out as bisexual in 2021 and is one of the few openly LGBTQ+ referees in professional football, alongside Ryan Atkin and James Adcock in the UK.

During the proposal, Kaiser emphasised queer visibility in sport, saying he wanted people to see “a man loving a man in football.”

The moment was widely praised online, with the post prompting one of FC Köln’s most-liked Instagram Reels, captioning it as a “special moment”. The video was liked by over 161,000 viewers.

Kaiser has long been an advocate for LGBTQ+ representation in sport. Alongside posting photos and videos with his now-fiancé, he has spoken about how important it is to be visible as a bisexual player in football.

Speaking previously to Schwulissimo, a prominent German queer news outlet, during Pride Month, he said: “I see this as my mission: to create visibility. To be a voice. And to encourage people who aren’t yet brave enough to speak up.

“I know how lonely it can be to think you’re the only one. I want no one to have to feel that way again,” he added.

After publicly coming out to the German press, he said: “Since coming out, I’ve been much more open on the pitch. I don’t hide anything anymore, and that makes me stronger, not weaker. We have to dare to be fully present.”

This is why Pride is still necessary.

[Mystic Mock]

This is what happens when a broken justice system is in place.

Western Europe just allows thugs to roam our streets.

Hopefully though Pascal Kaiser's attackers will face justice, and be the turning point of seeing Germany getting their **** together.

[Shaun]

I'm sure some will say "don't make yourself too much of a public figure if you don't have security" but considering all sane people - even those who disagree with homosexuality, if you can call that sanity - would have looked upon the public proposal as an "oh, ok, cute" and forgotten it moment... this is obviously the act of someone deliberately targeting him and seeking to commit a hate crime.

Football is so frustrating in its refusal to join the 21st century. Fans will happily turn a blind eye to the game being taken over by Saudi oil tyrants and ticket prices being hiked another £10 per season, TV coverage being limited to even more streaming services, and FIFA awarding hosting opportunities to countries with zero football heritage and hideous human rights abuses... but then wet their ****ing jeans over a rainbow armband or a gay kiss.

It's a sport for petulant bigots, plain and simple.

[thesheriff443]

No decent human wants to see another human hurt because of their sexuality

As to pride, people don’t like being told what to do

[Glenn.]

You’re literally proving the point. Pride exists because people still get attacked for being gay. No one is telling you what to do.

[Barry.]

This is why things like Pride month is important.

[thesheriff443]

Originally Posted by Glenn.

You’re literally proving the point. Pride exists because people still get attacked for being gay. No one is telling you what to do.

It is when it’s making people wear it in sports , they should have a choice

[Glenn.]

Originally Posted by thesheriff443

It is when it’s making people wear it in sports , they should have a choice

Players wear poppies, anti racism badges, charity logos, league branding… suddenly Pride is where you discover the concept of choice. Sure.

[Liam-]

Notice how none of the rapists and abusers in the football world are ever attacked

[thesheriff443]

Originally Posted by Glenn.

Players wear poppies, anti racism badges, charity logos, league branding… suddenly Pride is where you discover the concept of choice. Sure.

What ever

[Glenn.]

That’s what I thought

[Parmy]

VAR CHECK.


It's another Jussie Smollett, No Goal.

[Barry.]

Originally Posted by Parmy

VAR CHECK.


It's another Jussie Smollett, No Goal.

That’s not nice to say, and that’s the first thing you go to??

[Mystic Mock]

Originally Posted by Liam-

Notice how none of the rapists and abusers in the football world are ever attacked

There's always tomorrow.

In Minecraft that is.

[Livia]

That's disgusting. He's very brave. I hope the catch the cowards who attacked him.

[Ammi]

…and just the day before the attack, he had received threats and in those threats, it was made known that his address was known…his address had actually been posted online…?…with regard to threatening his physical safety….but the police said that there was no immediate threat/nothing to see here…?…the attack is appalling, the police attitude when the threats were reported and knowing that Pascal Kaiser’s address had been made public is appalling…I’d like to say that I’m shocked but sadly in today’s world when every day, logging onto the internet brings words of prejudice and hate and intolerance…it’s, all resetting and heading backwards…the proposal was something lovely and something wholesome and a moment for celebration but now it’s become this…/…this fear…this is Germany, this is Europe and a land of tolerance and acceptance and should have been ok…but it isn’t, it’s become very much not ok…sad times…</3…

[Ammi]

…the proposal…(…and acceptance, I presume…)…looked gorgeous, btw……