A number of sources refer to an incident on Lomé beach in April 2022, in which a mob chased a number of customers from a beachside restaurant due to their (perceived) homosexuality.
“A dozen homosexuals were chased from a bar at Lomé beach on Sunday 3 April 2022 by a group of people. The victims, who were harassed and then heckled, subsequently fled with their belongings, according to a video published on social media.”
ORIGINAL SOURCE
« Une dizaine d’homosexuels ont été chassés dans un bar de la plage de Lomé dimanche 3 avril 2022 par un groupe de personnes. Les victimes harcelées puis chahutées se sont ensuite sauvées avec leurs effets ramassés à la halte selon une vidéo publié sur les réseaux sociaux. »
“Last Sunday, a mob of youths chased and punched a group of homosexuals who were making themselves conspicuous on the beach of Lomé. In fact, these youths could not tolerate the spectacle in which these men, who had chosen a sexual orientation that is not tolerated by Togolese laws or society, were indulging. They [the group being chased] had to run to save their lives. […]
They [the allegedly homosexual men] were there [at the beach] last Sunday 3 April, as usual. In fact, it was not their first time at the beach in Lomé. Except that last Sunday, the outing to the beach ended badly for some of them. Annoyed by the spectacle in which they [the men] were indulging, some Togolese youths decided to send them home. They were asked to kindly leave the area. When they resisted, the crowd of youths started to become more threatening. Having understood that their interlocutors were serious, they [the allegedly homosexual men] had to run to escape the seaside and reach Mono boulevard (national road no. 2). But it was not yet the end of their misadventure. They were clearly asked to leave the area of the beach.
Some of them even suffered a few punches at Bar 54 Cocotiers, opposite the Onomo Hotel. Finally, it was in haste that these men, who chose to become women through their sexual orientation, had to leave the place. ” (In-house translation. The translator is an English native speaker and is professionally fluent in French.)
ORIGINAL SOURCE
« Dimanche dernier c’est à coups de poing qu’une horde de jeunes togolais ont chassé un groupe d’homosexuels qui faisaient leur démonstration à la plage de Lomé. En effet ces jeunes ne supportaient pas le spectacle auquel se livraient des hommes ayant choisi une orientation sexuelle non-tolérée, ni par la société togolaise ni par les lois togolaises. Ils ont dû détaler pour avoir la vie sauve. […]
Ils y étaient le dimanche 03 avril dernier, comme d’habitude. En effet, ce n’est pas leur première fois de se rendre à la plage de Lomé. Sauf que dimanche dernier, la sortie à la plage de certains d’entre eux s’est mal terminée. Agacés par le spectacle auquel ils se livraient, des jeunes togolais ont décidé de les renvoyer chez eux. Ils avaient été priés de vider gentiment les lieux. Devant leur résistance, la foule de jeunes a commencé à devenir plus menaçante. Ayant compris que leurs interlocuteurs étaient sérieux, ils ont dû courir pour fuir le bord de la mer et rejoindre dans un premier temps le boulevard du Mono (nationale N°2). Mais ce n’était pas encore la fin de leur mésaventure. Ils ont été carrément priés de vider les rayons de la plage.
Certains d’entre eux auraient même essuyé quelques coups de poing au niveau du Bar 54 Cocotiers, en face de l’hôtel Onomo. Au final, c’est en toute vitesse que ces hommes ayant choisi de devenir femmes, de par leur orientation sexuelle, ont dû quitter les lieux. »
In early 2023, a Togolese media source reported that one of the men targeted in the Lomé beach incident had gone missing, after receiving daily threats since he had been identified in the videos on social media.
“There is no more sign of Abotsi Ablamvi being alive. According to his family, this man, persecuted on grounds of his sexual orientation, has been missing for several months.
The family of the young man affirms that he was receiving death threats by phone incessantly and was a victim of harassment in the street.
In fact, Abotsi Ablamvi was part of a group of homosexuals who were harassed, beaten and filmed in 2022 at Lomé beach. After these videos were published on social media, the young man received daily threats.” (In-house translation. The translator is an English native speaker and is professionally fluent in French.)
ORIGINAL SOURCE
« Abotsi Ablamvi ne donne plus signe de vie. L’homme, persécuté en raison de son orientation sexuelle a disparu depuis plusieurs mois selon sa famille.
La famille du jeune homme affirme qu’il recevait incessamment des menaces de morts par téléphone et est victime d’harcèlement dans les rues.
En effet, Abotsi Ablamvi fesait parti d’un groupe d’homosexuels harcelé, frappé et filmé en 2022 à la plage de Lomé. Après la publication de ces vidéos sur les réseaux sociaux, le jeune reçoit des menaces au quotidien.»
The US Department of State report on human rights covering 2022, noted that the media amplification of the incident at Lomé beach led to anti-LGBTQI+ statements and threats from government officials and the public and threats directed towards NGO leaders working with the LGBTQI+ community.
“Violence against LGBTQI+ Persons: [...] on April 3, a mob of angry youth attacked and chased several customers from a Lome beachside restaurant for displaying “effeminate” behavior. Media, including online social media, amplified the incident, prompting anti-LGBTQI+ statements and threats from government officials and the public. NGO leaders working with the LGBTQI+ community received threatening messages and one sought refuge in a neighboring country, fearing he would be detained.”