Police in Scotland have opened an inquiry into a brutal homophobic hate crime that took place July 31.
The incident saw a group of unidentified men beat and spit on a gay couple before pushing one man in front of a speeding car.
The Edinburgh News reports that the victims–a married couple, whose names have not been made public to protect their privacy–walked down Leith Street in a posh area of the city when they were approached by a group of four men.
The attackers began punching and spitting on the victims while yelling homophobic slurs. One man also stole a bag from the couple, and ran off into the night.
Video footage also shows that, at one point, one of the victims fell into traffic, narrowly escaping getting hit by a speeding car.
The victims, said to be in their 30s, later received treatment at a nearby hospital.
Related: Three arrested following brutal hate crime-murder of a gay man in Spain
A bystander caught most of the attack on video; the person in question had previously been assaulted while trying to break up a similar attack, and chose to notify police rather than physically intervene. He said the sight of the attack left him “trembling.”
“The victim came straight over, thanked me and I asked if he was okay,” the bystander recalled.
“There was blood on the ground. He burst into tears and I held him as he sobbed so hard into my chest. He told me he did not know why they did it to him.”
“It was unprovoked entirely – the gay men did not fight back, they only tried to defend themselves,” the witness added.
“The boys were laughing, egging each other on and calling the victims p*ffs. Another girl [at the scene] heard them say p*ffs explicitly.”
In a more disturbing detail, several witnesses recalled that nobody tried to intervene in the attack. Drivers didn’t stop despite one of the victims getting pushed into traffic, while other passers-by stopped and laughed at the scene.
Police say the investigation remains ongoing.
The attack on the couple in Edinburgh is just the latest in a frightening rash of attacks on gay men worldwide.
Last month, saw attacks on gay men in New York City and Spain in which both victims needed surgery for injuries. Another hate crime in Spain claimed the life of a young nurse, and ignited nationwide protests. In Ireland, a popular TV host also reported being assaulted on the street.
June also saw a rash of hate crimes against gay men, with one victim stabbed in the back during an assault. An unrelated crime saw police arrest a machete-wielding maniac who had targeted a group of gay diners.
Cam
With the Tories in power and people like Boris Johnson continually trying to make it ok to blame all problems on “the others”, it is no shock that this type of stuff is happening even in Scotland.
Hopefully the couple is ok and the people responsible are dragged into the system.
Fahd
If there’s something good about surveillance cameras everywhere it’s that it makes it easier to catch the perpetrators of this sort of crime. Decent people anywhere in the world condemn craven acts of this kind.
Also, today on the Spanish television news, they announced that two of the three men arrested in connection with the beating death of Samuel in Spain had been linked with DNA to the crime. Disappointingly, however, they also reported that the police indicated that classifying it as a hate crime would require further investigation. They also have identified additional suspects — they are minors.
ted
Carry mace, a small knife. Stab until the other person stops hurting you.
Jay002
I thought it was only us ghetto Black Americans who were terrorizing gay people.
LumpyPillows
Well, you do attack and kill most of the transgender black women in the US. So, there is that. Not sure why you decided to go there, but if you want to be ignorant, we can set you straight.
Hdtex
Filthy RACIST pig.
Ajs33308
I know I am going to catch flack for this, but many of the assailants which I have read on other sites have been Muslim. I am not racist, just stating ffacts
LumpyPillows
Facts do matter.
Cam
Translation:
You couldn’t provide any proof or a link.
wikidBSTN
I thought Scotland was better than this 🙁
Jay002
Mr. Pillows I have never attacked anyone gay straight or whatever. How ignorant of you to say that I attack anyone. I never said black people didn’t commit crimes, And if you look at my statement it was just a statement. But if you took it personal than that is on you.
Hank31
“the gay men did not fight back, they only tried to defend themselves,”
I am not sure what this means, since defending yourself entails fighting back. I assume she means that the 2 guys “defended themselves” by protecting their faces, but otherwise allowed themselves to be used as punching bags. Having failed to defend themselves or their spouse, one of them then runs to the female witness and starts crying and sobbing.
It’s a complete failure of man — hood. I can’t fathom acting this way in the face of adversity.
rural queer socialist
It is clear, ain’t it, that more queer folks ought to be legally trained, and licensed, owners and operators of firearms!?
Especially trans* folks?
But instead of assisting queer folks to be legally trained, and licensed, owners and operators of firearms – for self, family, and community protection – queer orgs are aligned with un-Constitutional plans to take away Constitutional 2A rights!
And furthermore, queer orgs are aligned with ‘defunding law enforcement’! HOW does anyone expect LAWS – such as ‘hate crime’ LAWS, nondiscrimination LAWS, anti-bullying/harassment LAWS to be ENFORCED!!??
Cam
In other words the right wing troll account is ignoring the fact that Republicans Tories, Religions, and other conservative groups are responsible for this violent bigotry.
Instead it tries to push another conservative line.
Sweetie, you’re trolling is boring.
Heywood Jablowme
Scotland doesn’t have (or want) a Second Amendment, it’s a civilized country unlike the U.S.