According to La Repubblica, the answer is yes. Homophobic attacks in Italy are on the rise: 54 reported since January. The rejection of the homophobia law is therefore "good news for those who, in an ever more ferocious country, roam the night like hunting dogs, searching for a prey to insult, hit, trample upon", comments veteran feminist columnist Miriam Mafai.

The left and the country’s gay rights organisations are shocked by the passing of these anti-gay regulations. “This is an absurdity and a shame,” said Marija Pavilioniene, deputy for the social-democratic party Ausrine. In the meantime, the conservatives have been explaining that the purpose of these regulations. According to one of the bill’s originators, Petras Grazulis, a well known “tribune of the people”, this is all “to prevent these persons from forcing themselves on others and aggressively demonstrating their lifestyle.” Petras Luomanas from the ruling Homeland Union echoed Gazulis – ‘Because of propaganda, young people are beginning to uncritically accept the following cliché: a homosexual is a European and a progressive, whereas the heterosexual is a redneck and an ignoramus.”