Gay Bashing In Toronto’s Gay Village Will Be Investigated As Hate Crime

Toronto’s Eoin McManus and Benjamin McCall, both 21, are on the hook for the assault of Ryan Lester, 30 (pictured), and his 24-year-old brother Ben, who were beaten down early Saturday morning at a restaurant in the city’s Gay Village, home of the slushie attacks. And yep, Ryan’s attackers called him a faggot while kicking him in the face; Ben has bruises on his back and a broken tooth. “I think they thought we were together and they started in with the usual homophobic slurs,” says Ryan. “It was definitely ‘faggot’ and ‘queer’ and ‘homo.’ They were laughing to themselves.” Have fun with the hate crime charges, gents! [photo: Lindsay Boeckl / The Eyeopener]