Nice: Grindr Court Case

Last week, four men suspected of a series of ambushes targeting gay men in Nice in July 2022 were sentenced on September 28, 2023, to up to four years in prison for two of the assailants, and 18 and 15 months for their accomplices.

These prison sentences were heavier than those requested by the public prosecutor, but the criminal court retained only the aggravating circumstance of a meeting, not homophobia.

The accused, aged between 17 and 27 at the time of the attacks, organized their stalking via the gay dating app Grindr. The victims were assaulted in their homes, robbed, and one was even stabbed with a knife. This modus operandi enabled investigators to link the attacks and identify the suspects.

But, as the Centre LGBTQIA+ Côte d'Azur, a civil party in the case, reminds us, more than 80% of victims of LGBT+phobic acts never lodge a complaint, according to figures from the French Ministry of the Interior. This is hardly surprising, however, "if the courts are unable to find the aggravating factor of homophobia in such cases?!" worries the association.

Personally, as someone who before making the move to the Cote d’Azur, had frequently visited the region since 1990, my friends and I do find the region to be extremely safe, especially when compared to cities in our homelands of North America and other countries in Europe and the UK.

I have been out and about at all times of the day or night, any time of year, either on my own or with friends, and have not, fortunately, run into any problems. That’s not to say there aren’t any homophobic a**holes out there, but like anywhere else in the world, it’s best to be aware of your surroundings and actions for your own safety.

What I do see frequently are visitors who arrive (of all sexualities) to the region, who seem to go into a vacation bubble of sorts once off the plane, assuming because they are on holiday, nothing bad will happen to them.

At times it is as though you can see the glazed look on their faces, and this extends to how they act on social media dating apps. I’m the kind of person who is always up for some kind of adventure, but I tend to think a touch more rationally about it all first.

If someone seems too good to be true, my advice is to go with your gut instinct and ask yourself if it is worth it. And consider meeting in a public place first and take it from there.

The French Riviera is an international travel destination that attracts people from around the world. It is a very safe place to live and visit, but like anywhere else is not without its issues so operate as you would where you live and take care of yourself first.