[Trigger warning: Homophobic violence]
The video shows a gay couple being beaten by a group. The violence reportedly occurred because the two men were holding hands while crossing the street. The Roman police have arrested four suspects believed to be involved in the incident. According to Italian media, the suspects include three men and a woman.
In the video, at least two men and a woman can be seen attacking and striking the couple. The woman, dressed in lingerie and a transparent glitter dress, hits one of the victims. One of the men then uses a belt to whip the other victim, who is then forced to the ground and kicked, including blows to the head.
The mayor of Rome has expressed shock at the incident, calling it "unacceptable" and stating that his city "does not tolerate" homophobic violence. The president of Lazio, the province that includes Rome, issued a similar statement.
The suspects' lawyer told the Italian broadcaster Rai that the incident was not a hate crime but a traffic dispute. The attackers did not even know the couple was homosexual, according to lawyer Annamaria Altera. She criticises the emerging narrative that it was homophobic violence "as some misleadingly and cunningly suggest."
