The Zagreb Pride association issued a statement on Tuesday saying they were appalled by a brutal attack on a 50-year-old gay man.

Citing media reports, the association said that the man was attacked by two persons in Maksimir Park who set him on fire using inflammable liquid. It said that the attack occurred “out of pure homophobic hatred”.

Police said they were investigating and confirmed that the assaulted man had been hospitalised.

Zagreb Pride urged the police to identify the perpetrators and bring criminal charges against them, stressing that they did not want such homophobic violence to go unprosecuted.

The association said they wanted the law enforcement authorities to consistently apply the EU victims of crime directive to reduce secondary victimisation.

It also demanded an urgent and strong response from the police to protect the city’s parks, squares and streets from attacks by “rightwing gangs”.

“Rightwing violence in the public and online space is targeting not just the LGBTIQ community, but also the Serb, African and Roma communities in Croatia, as well as refugees and migrants,” Zagreb Pride said.