Drag Queen Story Hour UK founder attacked in ‘homophobic hate crime’ just hours after proposing
Drag performer Seb Samuel, also known as Aida H Dee, shared clips of his injuries to Facebook. (Facebook/Sebastian Samuel)
Aida H Dee, the founder of Drag Queen Story Hour UK, has been attacked in a suspected homophobic hate crime in Cardiff, just a few hours after proposing to his partner.
The drag artist, whose real name is Sebastian Samuel, told PinkNews that he was attacked in the street in Cardiff after leaving a venue where he had popped the question.
Two men hurled homophobic slurs at Samuel and his partner as they walked by a McDonald’s at around 3am on Sunday (19 May), according to South Wales Police.
After asking why they were being calling them names, the pair were attacked, with Samuel saying he was knocked unconscious.
“This is the night of my anniversary,” he said. “This is the night of my anniversary, it’s the night I proposed to my boyfriend and I am [sitting] here crying. This is not fair, it’s not fair.”
South Wales Police confirmed to PinkNews that it is investigating the incident as a hate crime, saying that this kind of attack has “no place in society and is a priority” for investigators.
Officers are examining CCTV footage as part of the investigation.
In a post on Facebook Live shortly after the attack, a tearful Samuel revealed his injuries, including what was later diagnosed as a fractured jaw.
He will need jaw-realignment surgery and won’t be able to chew food for several weeks.
“This is my engagement present from the world. I have a swollen cheek and a bit of a black eye,” he said.
To make matter worse, he thought he’d lost his engagement ring, but found it on returning to Queen Street.
“I spent two hours, give or take, on my knees looking for this because I refuse [to lose] the ring I gave him.”
Aida H Dee announces return of Drag Queen Story Hour
The day after the attack, Samuel announced he would be returning as Aida H Dee, in a new set of Drag Queen Story Hour shows.
In social media posts on Monday (20 May), he said the event would be making its debut at the Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre, in London, for shows on 7 and 14 July.
Samuel said he was proud to be returning as Aida, and appearing in the world-famous park makes her an “official London theatre performer, director and author”. He refused to let the good news be “shadowed by hate“.
The drag performer has been an integral part of bringing family friendly drag to the UK with what is described as a “journey through a magical world of colourful characters”.
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