This is an update on my incident; mainly to say thanks to all who've reached out.

The response has been overwhelming and very warm, from friends but mainly from neighbours who unfortunately have experienced similar episodes.

The Update

• My eye is improving. I still can't focus properly and the pupil isn't responding as it should, but the wound has healed completely. Still have issues with my teeth and the nerve on the same side of the face.
• The Municipality contact got back to me today. He is coordinating with the police regarding the safety of the district. Slow, but moving. I got an appointment to discuss this further.
• The police neighbourhood officer also reached out today. So there is progress on the institutional side. I've agreed to meet in person to discuss further.
• I spoke with a lawyer specialised in similar cases. She told me there isn't much to do until the police identifies them, but she raised a genuine concern: given the evidence I provided, the identification is going strangely slow.
• I contacted AT5, local newspaper; they asked for more stories because mine alone wasn't enough for an article. I connected them with other victims. They got a "sorry, we'll look into it" and then went silent.

Stories from the neighbourhood

Since I shared my story, many of you have shared yours. It's disturbing how many have gone through similar episodes.

I will omit details that can lead to identification. If you recognise your story and want me to correct it, please reach out.

I was near the supermarket after school hours and a group of kids that always hang out there when they finish school were leaving a mess on the floor. After a brief, calm conversation about their behaviour, it escalated quickly and would've become a fight if I didn't decide to walk away. Now I avoid going to the supermarket during those hours.

I was going home through the park with my wife. A fat-bike with two idiots comes from behind beeping, stops in front of me and they start insulting with no apparent reason. They were ready to pick up a fight, then they spit on me and go away.

The other day in Erasmuspark two kids on a fat-bike were speeding on an area just for pedestrians and they slapped a girl on the ass who was just minding her business and walking... it's disgusting.

The other day I got sprinkled with water by a group of boys. I confronted them and started getting insulted for my ethnic traits. I felt disrespected by these people. Later I was walking with a friend and they did the same to ladies that were skating nearby.

A friend was doing groceries with his wife; some kids were harassing her and he quietly tried to de-escalate and bring some reasoning to the group. They were kids of the neighbour, he knew where they lived so he walked over and spoke to the parents. At a certain point while he was speaking the dad gave him a punch and they assaulted him, screaming "go to your country".

They later decided to rent a place somewhere else and change area.

I was biking home and some kids, probably 6-7, stood in the bike lane, jumped on me, threw water and started punching; for no reason.

A group of kid out of "boredom" walking in our street just kick and broke our door. Thanks we had cameras.. but still we had to stay with the door broken for a days just because these idiots act like they are.

These are just some of the stories. I will keep updating this collection so they are not lost.

If you have a story to share, use the form below. Your identity will be kept confidential, but we need a phone number to verify authenticity before publishing.

Impunity and what it costs us

In a lot of these stories there is a clear sentiment of impunity.

When people act violently and nothing happens, a message is sent: you can get away with this. That doesn't just embolden the ones doing harm. It erodes something much deeper.

Safety is the foundation of integration, solidarity, and coexistence. You can't ask people to embrace diversity and invest in their neighbourhood if they don't feel safe walking home. When impunity grows, it hits hardest the well-intentioned: the ones who chose to live here because they believe different cultures can coexist.

These people engage with their neighbours, de-escalate instead of fight back, file reports and follow up. When the system fails them, they change their habits. They avoid certain parks, streets, hours. Some move to a different neighbourhood. Not because they wanted to, but because impunity left them no choice.

This vacuum is exactly what fuels extremism and populist politics. When people feel abandoned by institutions, they become easy targets for parties offering simple answers. "We'll fix it, vote for us." The failure to act on everyday violence hands ammunition to those who exploit fear to divide communities along ethnic and cultural lines.

The tragedy is that the communities who suffer most are the very ones that get scapegoated. The ones who came here to build a life, who work, who contribute. Impunity poisons the ground for integration itself, and everyone pays the price.

It's about what signal a community sends. When institutions respond, when neighbours stand together, when consequences exist, it tells everyone: this place is worth investing in. When they don't, trust collapses and the space fills with resentment and political opportunism.

I still believe in this city. But belief needs to be backed by action, by institutions that follow through, and by a collective refusal to normalise what should never be normal.

A note on the comments

Some have shared legitimate disagreements and I appreciate those:

• "I think you're a bit naive."
• "I don't think dropping charges is the right solution."

Fair points. Happy to discuss.

However, some comments make it clear the previous article wasn't fully read. If your reaction is "this is not a problem of ethnicity" or "this is not a problem of individuality". Please go back and read it carefully.

I know my articles are long for today's attention spans. But before firing off a comment, make sure you've read and understood the message. If I don't respond to you directly, this might be why.

Turning this into something that matters

I am working on a documentary project to turn these experiences into educational material for schools. If you want to know more or volunteer, read the full proposal and sign up on the previous article.

Stay safe and keep doing good,
for the wellbeing of everyone
🙏 🌍