Israel: Attackers in homophobic assault likely to be charged with assault
Three men who led an attack on a group of gay men on Saturday are now under house arrest, and are likely to be charged with assault, police have said.
The men were accosted at around 2am whilst walking to a party in south Tel Aviv. They described the group of around ten attackers as “young people”.
Moshiko Hadad, 29, said: “It was a group of about 10 young people who looked like they were looking for trouble,” he said. “We passed them and they noticed that two guys in our group were holding hands, and they called us ‘disgusting,’ ‘stinking’ and ‘homos.’”
He said that he and his friends attempted to flee the scene, but the youths caught up with them.
“They made a circle around us and cursed at us. One of them took a drink that my friend was holding and just poured it all over him,” Hadad continued.
“We were in shock; we didn’t move or say anything, and I suddenly felt a punch from the side. It was a harsh blow, and three of them kicked me in the back without stopping.”
The group under attack refused to be drawn into a fight, Hadad said, and after the attackers ceased hitting him, he ran off, hid and called the police.
He received medical attention at a hospital and was released, as well as filing a complaint with the police.
