Men hold hands to stand up to homophobia

Men all over the world are holding hands to stand up to homophobia following a brutal gang attack on a gay couple.

The trend began this week with men posting images of themselves on social media with the hashtag #allemannenhandinhand — meaning 'all men, holding hands' —following a vicious assault on a gay couple in the Netherlands.

Jasper Vernes-Sewratan, 35, and Robbie Sewratan-Vernes, 31, were reportedly attacked by young people armed with bolt cutters in the early hours of Sunday morning in Arnhem, in the east of the Netherlands.

Two suspects were arrested and four others later reported to the police station in relation to the attack, CNN reports.

Vernes-Sewratan also posted on Facebook about the "hate crime", which triggered outrage online and was shared more than 7,500 times.

The incident later triggered universal action when Dutch magazine founder Barbara Barend tweeted later that day using the hashtag. She wrote: "Can this whole week all men (straight and gay) please just walk hand in hand..."

The movement has been picked up by politicians, sportsmen, actors, policemen and businessmen around the world.

Since then, Netherlands Deputy Prime Minister Lodewijk posted a picture o f himself holding hands with fellow Labour Party politician Jeroen Dijsselbloem with the hashtag.

Workers at the Dutch Embassies in London and Canberra and at the United Nations in New York have also joined the campaign.