Two women come forward in police appeal following Vauxhall homophobic bleach attack
Two women have been identified by police following an appeal for information after three people were sprayed with bleach outside a Vauxhall nightclub on Saturday night.
The man, who spoke to the Evening Standard on condition of anonymity, was one of three attacked with a concentrated ammonia solution outside the LightBox club in Vauxhall.
After detectives issued CCTV stills of a man and two women they sought to trace following the attack, the two women came forward.
Neither woman was arrested, and the man in the image did not come forward.
The Metropolitan Police said: “Detectives issued CCTV stills of a man and two women they wished to trace after three men were sprayed with a substance, thought to be ammonia, in Vauxhall in the early hours of Sunday, 8 June.
“The two women have come forward. They have not been arrested.”
The 23-year-old clubber who has been told by doctors that he may lose his eyesight following the attack, said he and a friend, 21, had begun speaking to the three people, believed to be Eastern European, outside the club, having been refused admission as it was past closing time.
He said the two women then discovered that he and his friend were gay, and started shouting homophobic abuse before he and his friend were sprayed in the face with the solution. A third man was also attacked shortly afterwards.
Orange Nation, the company that owns the Lightbox venue in Vauxhall, has issued a statement regarding Sunday’s incident.
Mark Williams from Orange Nation said: “Unfortunately, there was a homophobic attack outside the cafe by Vauxhall Bus Station early on Sunday morning. This was an isolated incident and we have been speaking to police since it occurred, including supplying them with our CCTV footage of the local Vauxhall area. The police have confirmed there is no direct link with the venue or our customers. Our doors were closed at the time of the incident, with no gay events at the Lightbox that morning. Our extensive commitment with the council and Vauxhall One to provide a safe environment for everyone continues. Our thoughts go out to the victims of this awful attack and we wish them a speedy recovery.
The crime is being investigated by the Lambeth Community Safety Unit, which asks that anybody who recognises the people in the image, or can give more information, calls 0208 649 2176 or 07909 906 168.
Those who wish to remain anonymous can contact CrimeStoppers on 0800 555 111.
