At around 11.30 p.m. on Thursday, two 18-year-olds and a minor attacked foreign workers in the centre of Zagreb.

According to the information gathered so far, two 18-year-olds and a minor under the influence of alcohol physically assaulted two foreign nationals aged 27 and 52 on the terrace of a pub on Tkalciceva Street. Three people were detained and taken to the police premises for police investigations, the police reported.

The Minister of the Interior, Davor Bozinovic, has also reacted.

“I was deeply shocked by the news about the incident on Tkalciceva Street, where three of our citizens, including a minor, attacked two Indian citizens. This act of violence is completely unacceptable and is contrary to the values we must uphold as a society.

Whether we are talking about foreign nationals as tourists in our safe Croatia, or foreign workers who contribute to the development of our economy through their labour and commitment and honestly take care of themselves and their families. Foreign nationals have become valuable members of our community, without whose contribution, as well as that of numerous tourists, our standard of living would be significantly lower.

Their presence and their labour allow us to maintain the quality of life and the level of services we enjoy today.

Croatia rightly prides itself on being one of the safest countries in the world, but incidents like this remind us that we must not take this status for granted.

Yesterday I spoke about the importance of unity and respect between all people, but events like this remind us of how much work still lies ahead. Violence, especially when motivated by prejudice, has no place in our community.

The victims refused medical attention, but that does not diminish the seriousness of the crime that occurred. The police reacted quickly, and the perpetrators were arrested. Criminal investigations will follow to clarify all the circumstances surrounding this event.

I understand that we are living in a time of intense change and that every community needs time to adapt, but I want to be clear: Violence will not be tolerated.

“I call on all citizens to oppose intolerance and prejudice and to report any suspicion of hate crime.

Only by working together can we build a society in which everyone feels safe and respected, regardless of their ethnicity, religion, or any other personal characteristic.

Let this incident serve as a reminder that we must work every day to build a society based on solidarity, respect and love for our fellow human beings,” Bozinovic wrote on Facebook.