(CNN) Men all over the world are standing up to homophobia by holding hands.

From New York to London, and from Canberra to Amsterdam, famous figures and ordinary Dutch citizens have been posting images of themselves on social media with the hashtag #allemannenhandinhand (all men, holding hands).

Same-sex couples kiss during a protest by the LGBT community at the Bolivar Square in Bogota,Colombia, in November 2012.

Same-sex couples kiss during a protest by the LGBT community at the Bolivar Square in Bogota,Colombia, in November 2012.

U.S. Ambassador to the Dominican Republic and gay rights activist James Brewster, center, arrives to present his credentials to Dominican President Danilo Medina in December, 2013, during a ceremony at the National Palace in Santo Domingo.

U.S. Ambassador to the Dominican Republic and gay rights activist James Brewster, center, arrives to present his credentials to Dominican President Danilo Medina in December, 2013, during a ceremony at the National Palace in Santo Domingo.

Supporters of gay rights attend the annual canal parade -- a Gay Pride Week event -- in Amsterdam, Netherlands, in August, 2014.

Supporters of gay rights attend the annual canal parade -- a Gay Pride Week event -- in Amsterdam, Netherlands, in August, 2014.

Singaporeans dress in pink in support of gays and lesbians as they gather at "Speakers' Corner" in Singapore in June, 2014.

Singaporeans dress in pink in support of gays and lesbians as they gather at "Speakers' Corner" in Singapore in June, 2014.

Tshepo Modisane and Thobajobe Sithole kiss at their wedding at Siva Sungum Hall in Kwadukuza, South Africa in April, 2013.

Tshepo Modisane and Thobajobe Sithole kiss at their wedding at Siva Sungum Hall in Kwadukuza, South Africa in April, 2013.

Then-Canadian Prime Minister Paul Martin stands to vote in the House of Commons in Ottawa to pass the same sex marriage bill in June, 2005.

Then-Canadian Prime Minister Paul Martin stands to vote in the House of Commons in Ottawa to pass the same sex marriage bill in June, 2005.

About 50 men accused of breaking laws covering obscenity and public morality cover their faces as they enter a state security court for their trial in Cairo, Egypt in July, 2001.

About 50 men accused of breaking laws covering obscenity and public morality cover their faces as they enter a state security court for their trial in Cairo, Egypt in July, 2001.

People in Madrid, Spain react to a law allowing same-sex couples to marry and adopt children in Spain in June, 2005.

People in Madrid, Spain react to a law allowing same-sex couples to marry and adopt children in Spain in June, 2005.

An activist in Hong Kong holds a placard with a slogan over the face of Russian President Vladimir Putin during a demonstration against Russia's anti-gay legislation on the day of the opening ceremony of the Sochi Winter Olympic Games in February, 2014.

An activist in Hong Kong holds a placard with a slogan over the face of Russian President Vladimir Putin during a demonstration against Russia's anti-gay legislation on the day of the opening ceremony of the Sochi Winter Olympic Games in February, 2014.

Christian demonstrators protest during a gay pride march in December, 2013, in Manila, Philippines.

Christian demonstrators protest during a gay pride march in December, 2013, in Manila, Philippines.

Supporters of LGBT at the University of the Philippines campus in Manila celebrate Pride Month on June 27, 2013.

Supporters of LGBT at the University of the Philippines campus in Manila celebrate Pride Month on June 27, 2013.

The trend was sparked by reports of a gang attack on a gay couple, Jasper Vernes-Sewratan, 35, and Ronnie Sewratan-Vernes, 31, in Arnhem, a city in the east of the Netherlands, in the early hours of Sunday morning.

Alexander Pechtold (L) and Wouter Koolmees of the D66 party arrive for a political meeting, holding hands in solidarity with a gay couple.

Vernes-Sewratan's Facebook post about the incident, which he describes as a hate crime, has been shared more than 7,500 times and he has received thousands of supportive comments.

The hashtag in support of the couple was inspired by Barbara Barend, founder of a Dutch magazine, who tweeted Sunday , "Can this whole week all men (straight and gay) please just walk hand in hand ..."

Male colleagues of @NLatUN walking hand in hand in New York protesting against violence directed at LGBTI #allemannenhandinhand pic.twitter.com/AYThVsymep — Lise Gregoire (@LiseGvH) April 3, 2017

Politicians, sportsmen, actors, policemen and businessmen have all responded to the call.

Deputy Prime Minister of the Netherlands Lodewijk Asscher posted this picture of himself holding hands with fellow Labour Party politician Jeroen Dijsselbloem with the hashtag #allemannenhandinhand.

Since then, workers at the Dutch Embassies in London and Canberra and at the United Nations in New York have joined the campaign.

Male colleagues from the Dutch Embassy London holding hands in protest against violence towards the LGBTQIA community. #allemannenhandinhand pic.twitter.com/Bp6Mz6UiyY — Dutch Embassy London (@NLinUK) April 4, 2017

Male colleagues from the Dutch Embassy Canberra hold hands in protest against violence towards the #LGBTIQ community #allemannenhandinhand pic.twitter.com/VLViPMPkJA — Dutch Embassy (@NLinAustralia) April 5, 2017

Staff at Amsterdam's Academic Medical Center posted this Instagram photo...

Ook wij lopen #handinhand tegen homogeweld. #allemannenhandinhand @npo_3fm_ A post shared by AMC Amsterdam (@amc.nl) on Apr 3, 2017 at 2:34am PDT

...while footballers from a club in the city of Nijmegen, just south of Arnhem, shared this image. "NEC turns its back on anti-gay violence," the post says.

N.E.C. keert geweld tegen homo's de rug toe. #allemannenhandinhand #handinhand #morethanfootball @npo3fm A post shared by N.E.C. Nijmegen (@necnijmegen) on Apr 3, 2017 at 2:20am PDT

Rotterdam's police also got involved, as did two religious leaders, David van Veen and Erick Versloot, in Waarder, south of Amsterdam.

#handinhand #moetkunnen #stopgeweldtegenhomos #allemannenhandinhand #loveisallweneed ❤💛💚💙💜💖💟💗 #instapolitie #politieijsselmonde #rotterdam #zuid A post shared by Wijkagent Beverwaard (@pol_saskia) on Apr 3, 2017 at 7:12am PDT

The hashtag is still gaining momentum, with people of all nationalities posting, sharing and tagging images of men holding hands.

Although the Netherlands was the first country in the world to legalize gay marriage, in 2001, activists say it is not yet free of homophobia.

"While some may think of the Netherlands as some sort of 'gay paradise,' the truth is that the layer of acceptance in this country is thinner than many people think," he said.

"About 7 in 10 LGBT people say they have been confronted with physical and/or verbal violence because of their identity," Tijsma said. "Plus, many LGBT students have a difficult time in high school, are bullied and see suicide rates that are almost five times higher than average."

"The fight for equality continues."