New Queer Bashing Threat 1993
1993
This article in 'Outspoken' May 1993 reports on an increase in Queer Bashing in the Gay Village area.
NEW QUEER BASHING THREAT IN BIRMINGHAM
An alarming increase in violent attacks on gay men in Birmingham has been reported in the last month, writes Mark Dakin.
The assaults follow a well publicised attack by four men on 'New Village' toilets last month. There has now been an upsurge in attacks on gay men it, the Thorp Street/Hurst Street area, with the regularity of these attacks increasing dramatically in the last two weeks. In most cases the attacks have been particularly brutal with several of the victims needing hospitalisation.
The motivation for these attacks appears to be homophobic - in only one case that we know of was there a robbery. It would seem that the attackers are in groups of two to four, but always including two blond men of around 6ft in height, dressed casually, and in their early twenties.
The attackers appear to know what they are doing, either singling out one person from a group or waiting and choosing men who are alone and not too large. They concentrate on inflicting maximum injury to the head and face. Last week a man was savagely attacked, beaten unconscious and in the process had his leg broken. Another man was attacked from behind by a group of assailants, knocked out and as a result was hospitalised for the weekend.
We spoke to Pete who was bashed a couple of weeks ago:
"I had been to the Nightingale, and was walking up Thorp Street at about 1.30 am on Sunday morning. There were three guys standing at the end of the street. I was with two friends who realized a few seconds before me what was about to happen.
Before I even saw my friends disappearing around the corner something hit me on the side of the head and everything went fuzzy. I was hit again and blacked out. I came to sometime shortly after and they tried again to hit me. As I tried to get away I started swinging my arms around and fended them off. They backed off quickly. Basically they got me by surprise and didn't attack me from the front. They waited until there was just me left. What a bunch of cowards!
If I had been in a position to defend myself think things would have been a little different. I can only say to people that when they are leaving the pubs and clubs at the moment stick in a group and be ready for trouble and if you are able to fight then immobilise them and call the police."
At the time of writing (19th April), upon contacting West Midlands Police to find out what action they were taking we were told that they were not aware of an increase in gay-related assaults in the Hurst Street area.
They said, however, that they would be particularly interested to hear from people with information about the bashings.
C.I.D. at Steelhouse Lane can be contacted on 021-626; alternatively, Crimestopper UK (a national and anonymous, if you wish, crime reporting organisation) can be reached on 0800 555 1.
If any readers do have information but feel uncomfortable about contacting the police, then you can call the Coalition on 021-333 : tell us and we will pass it on.
We also hear that the management of various gay pubs and clubs have been meeting to discuss these events and will hopefully have met with the police by the time we go to print.
Contributed by: Outspoken