Write a commentA vicious assault in the early hours of Sunday morning in Newry has left several people in shock with two people requiring hospital treatment and a third person injured.
The assault took place on Margaret Street in the city centre as a group of five people were returning home from a Pride in Newry event in the city.
A very successful Pride in Newry Festival had taken place in the city on Saturday with the Pride Parade and a concert in McClelland Park in Newry attracting several thousand people.
Padraig Lynch, a long standing member of Newry Rainbow Community who organise the Pride in Newry Festival sustained a deep cut to his face requiring stitches to the side of his head and lacerations on his nose while another person in the group sustained cuts and bruises to their face and both required treatment at Daisy Hill Hospital.
Speaking on the incident, Padraig’s partner Damian McKevitt, Secretary of the Newry Rainbow Community who was present during the assault said “It was just a completely unprovoked and very obvious homophobic attack”
“Simply because of the fact that Padraig was wearing a rainbow jacket, and that precipitated the attack.”
“One other person was hit in the face and suffered lacerations, another girl in the party was knocked to the ground” It was thought there were three attackers.
A Police spokesperson said “Police received a report of an altercation in the vicinity of The Mall in Newry shortly before 2.40am on Sunday 04 September. Two men sustained cuts to their face as a result. Police enquiries are continuing.”
Newry, Mourne and Down District Council, Councillor Pete Byrne has said that he is shocked and disgusted by an apparent homophobic hate attack on members of the Newry Pride Committee following Saturday’s parade and celebrations.
Cllr Byrne said, “I’m shocked and disgusted that several members of the Newry Pride Committee were subjected to a savage attack after Saturday’s parade and celebrations. The very essence of Pride is that everyone should be able to hold their head high and be treated with dignity and respect regardless of their sexual orientation.
“Those who committed this heinous crime will not win. Our community has stood strongly together to face down bigots before and we stand together again now. Our resolve will not be diminished by cowardly thugs.
“This once again underscores the urgent need for a robust sexual orientation strategy that challenges homophobic behaviour and supports those who suffer as a result. The LGBT community cannot continue to wait on dawdling Executive Ministers while people are being attacked in the street.
“My thoughts and the thoughts of the SDLP are with those injured as a result of this attack and their families at this distressing time. I would encourage anyone who has any information about this attack to bring it forward to the police as soon as possible.”
