Attackers Use Grindr to Lynch Gay Israelis in Haifa
Groups of masked assailants are reportedly using the gay dating app to lure LGBTQ Israelis into meeting to maim or kill them.
Masked attackers in Israel are reportedly using Grindr to lure and entrap members of the LGBTQ community to severely harm them.
According to reports, the assailants are creating fake profiles on the popular dating app and arranging meetings in remote locations in the city of Haifa.
The victims are then ambushed and reportedly stabbed with sharp weapons. A few assailants have attempted to carry out lynchings.
The Aguda, an LGBTQ task force, documented at least ten such incidents in recent months, reports the Jerusalem Post.
But some victims have chosen not to report the attacks, making it more difficult for police to track down and arrest offenders.
The Aguda has urged victims to file complaints with police to alert authorities to an ongoing problem and prevent further violence.
The Aguda and the Israel Internet Association have issued warnings to Grindr users in the Haifa region, advising users against meeting with individuals who refuse to share updated photos or phone numbers or engage in video calls. They are also telling users to be cautious of profiles without photos or where images appear to have been altered, and to block and report any suspicious profiles.
The organizations are advising users to only meet in well-lighted, public locations, and inform friends or family of their location and meeting details in advance.
Anyone who has been attacked or threatened with violence is urged to contact police and the Aguda’s confidential support hotline. Reports can be filed anonymously.
While Grindr has been hailed as a revolutionary way to make quick connections with other LGBTQ users, the app has also been misused by criminals with sinister intent, as evidenced by a number of disturbing headlines in recent years.
For instance, in 2020, a man in Louisiana arranged a date with another man through Grindr, only to have his date knock him out, and brutally torture and stab him.
In 2022, a California man pleaded guilty to using dating apps to lure gay male victims into meeting in person with the intent of assaulting and robbing them.
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