Two English gay men are recovering after being attacked by children with a weapon.
Two men in their thirties were walking down Manningham Road in Liverpool around 9:20 pm on their way home this past Saturday. Then, they were attacked by three male youths.
Though currently on the loose, the three are estimated to be between the ages of 12 and 15. Also, one of the three was wearing a dark bubble coat and another was riding a bike.
The three kids first yelled anti-gay insults at the gay men and then pulled out a knife. The incident then turned into a physical assault.
Both men were later taken to a nearby hospital. One man was treated for serious injuries to the head and neck, while the other was treated for a minor hand injury.
Detective Inspector Tara Denn said the following on the issue:
“This was an appalling and unprovoked attack on two men simply making their way home and we are working tirelessly to locate those responsible. Two men have been left with significant injuries tonight and the hate and violence that has been inflicted on them is simply unacceptable and won’t be tolerated on the streets of Merseyside.”
The police are urging any witnesses to come forward and help with the case.
“I would ask anyone in Manningham Road or the surrounding areas this evening to please come forward with any information,” said Detective Inspector Denn. “You may have witnessed the incident or youths making off from the scene, or even have CCTV or dashcam footage, and I would urge you to please get in touch with police. Likewise, if you know who is responsible for this crime, please do the right thing and let us know.”
We're appealing for info following a homophobic assault in Manningham Rd, #Anfield around 9.20pm last night, Sat 22 June. Two men were injured after being assaulted by youths armed with a knife. Please contact @MerPolCC, 101 or @CrimestoppersUK with info
https://t.co/TkdmDiw3Rn pic.twitter.com/tVfUBlWOj2— Merseyside Police (@MerseyPolice) June 23, 2019
Denn then gave his condolences to the two men and to LGBTQ people as a whole.
“There is absolutely no place for hate crime in society and we know how much of a massive impact it has on victims. I want to reach out to the LBGT community, who I know will be deeply saddened by this news, and reassure you that we stand with you and if you report such incidents to the police, we will do our utmost to support and protect you and bring those responsible to justice.”
He added:
“We are passionate about maintaining the right of all our communities to be treated with fairness, dignity and respect, and by working closely with our partners will continue to work to eradicate hate crime of all forms.”
