A Jewish gay activist has been attacked by far-right thugs, who slashed his arms and legs with a razor blade.

Jorge Arce was set upon in a park in Santiago, Chile, last week by three men who punched him in the neck and cut him more than 40 times.

The three men identified him because he was wearing a T-shirt with the Israeli flag on it. The chased him into a park shouting “murderer”, before attacking him.

Speaking to the Movement for Integration and Homosexual Liberation (MOVILH), Mr Arce said: “I had 40 stitches on my arm. Some will be forever.

“Just for being Jewish. The pain overwhelms me.”

A spokesperson for MOVILH said the attack was “an act of antisemitic and homophobic aggression.

“We repudiate this attack of hate, which deserves all legal and social sanction… We will support the legal actions that the Jewish community decides to initiate [and have] always supported and shown solidarity with the victims of homophobia.”

In 2012, a young gay man, Daniel Zamudio, was tortured and murdered in downtown Santiago by four attackers linked to neo-Nazi groups.

Mr Zamudio’s death gained wide media attention and led to the passage of anti-discrimination laws in Chile along with more discussion of LGBT rights in the country.

Chile’s hate-crime laws include crimes against gender identity and sexual orientation.

Gay men are permitted to give blood but same-sex marriage and adoption are not legal.

President Michelle Bachelet is expected to send a marriage equality bill to Congress this year.