Pascal Kaiser, the German referee who proposed to his boyfriend during a Bundesliga match, is attacked

The German referee Pascal Kaiser, who a week ago moved thousands of fans by proposing to his boyfriend Moritz in the middle of the stadium during the Bundesliga match between FC Köln and Wolfsburg, has been physically assaulted in the garden of his home, according to German media reportsThe incident occurred a few nights after Kaiser received explicit threats that included his home address, following the viral marriage proposal in front of more than 40,000 spectators at the RheinEnergieStadion, a gesture that had been widely celebrated as a symbol of visibility and diversity in football.This past Saturday night, three men intercepted the referee while he was in his garden and violently assaulted him, leaving him with visible bruises, as Kaiser himself confirmed to media outlets such as L’Équipe. The police had been previously alerted about the threats, but assured him that there was no “immediate danger”The marriage proposal, made before the game and applauded by the fans as a moment of openness and respect, contrasted painfully with the subsequent aggression, which Kaiser attributes directly to that public act of love. This event has reopened the debate on **safety and homophobia** in sports, even when the displays of support and celebration seem to be in the majority