Homophobic Attack On Student Outside Gay Nightclub Shocks London
Image: Harry Batt (21) was the victim of an unprovoked homophobic attack outside a London gay nightclub.
A 21-year-old student was left bloodied after a homophobic attack outside a popular gay nightclub in London in the early hours of Saturday, February 12, 2022.
Trigger Warning: This story has details of a homophobic attack, which might be distressing to some readers. For 24-hour crisis support and suicide prevention call Lifeline on 13 11 14. For Australia-wide LGBTQI peer support call QLife on 1800 184 527 or webchat.
Harry Batt, a bio-medical student, was waiting for a bus home after a night of partying at gay nightclub Heaven, when around 3:30 am a woman launched an unprovoked attack.
“A girl came up to me and started throwing homophobic verbal assaults at me unprovoked,” Batt said in a post on Twitter.
‘She Punched Me’
In an interview with ITV, Batt said the woman had used homophobic slurs against him, calling him a “batty boy.” When Batt told the woman that he would call the police, “she proceeded to punch me multiple times in the head, leaving me with a bleed, before rapidly fleeing the scene.”
couldn’t say to me or I would get the police involved. she proceeded to punch me multiple times in the head, leaving me with a bleed, before rapidly fleeing the scene. the incident is being dealt with by the police. i am not posting this for people to feel
— harry (@_hxrrybxtt) February 12, 2022
Batt was rushed to the hospital, where doctors had to reportedly use glue to seal the cuts on his head.
Batt reported the matter to the police who are investigating the case. The student said that he went public about the attack on social media not to draw sympathy but “to spread awareness about these terrible incidents”.
“I am not posting this for people to feel,” he said.
Hate Crimes On The Rise
A Met Police spokesperson said that “Detectives from the Met’s hate crime unit are aware of an attack involving a 21-year-old man.”
“The Met is liaising with colleagues from BTP who initially attended the incident, and enquiries including a review of local CCTV are underway,” the spokesperson said.
The UK has witnessed a rising number of homophobic and transphobic incidents in recent times, especially in London. According to ITV, London had witnessed around 3,555 homophobic and transphobic attacks in 2021, a 21% increase from 2019, which saw 2,926 attacks.
This included the attack on 50-year-old Ranjith ‘Roy’ Kankanamalage, 50 who was attacked and killed in the Tower Hamlets Cemetery Park on August 16, 2021.
In 2020, three gay friends were stabbed to death in Reading, a town around 40 miles from London, in a terror attack that shocked the community.
If you feel distressed reading the story, you can reach out to support services.
For 24-hour crisis support and suicide prevention call Lifeline on 13 11 14
For Australia-wide LGBTQI peer support call QLife on 1800 184 527 or webchat.
