A lesbian couple were savagely beaten by a gang of men on their way home from a night celebrating one of their birthdays.
Emma MacLean and her girlfriend Tori were walking home in Halifax, Canada, on June 22 when they passed a group of about 10 men and one of them made a ‘sexually degrading’ comment towards Emma.
Tori stood up for her girlfriend, but the man continued to make several offensive and homophobic comments until eventually he and the rest of the gang physically attacked the couple.
Emma told CTV News: ‘My girlfriend Tori said “hey that’s my girlfriend”.
‘They continued walking and then Tori followed them to basically verbally be like “That is not OK”.
‘I see Tori being pushed on the stairs right in front of the BMO Centre, and they are cement stairs, and she’s on her back – that’s when all the men started punching and kicking her.
‘The fight-or-flight came in. I basically jumped on one of their backs and put them in a chokehold – trying to restrain them.’
They threw ‘several punches and kicks’ to their faces and ribs, leaving the couple with injuries including a broken nose, chipped tooth, and several swollen areas and bruises on their heads and faces.
The attack happened on Argyle Street in downtown Halifax and Emma published an appeal on social media for any witnesses to get in touch.
She said: ‘We are extremely thankful that things were not worse.
‘If anyone has any further information or had witnessed this event, or has personal video footage, I would be extremely grateful if you could share it.
‘Stay safe and happy pride month.’
Emma later shared video and screenshots of the group of men who attacked her and Tori.
She said the group appeared to be of Middle Eastern descent, possibly from Syria, and estimated they were aged 18-25.
Screaming can be heard in the distressing footage as the group of men surrounded the couple, who were lying on the ground.
One of the women managed to get up and appeared to be trying to intervene to protect her partner as the men attempted to keep them apart.
Several people were filmed standing and watching the assault and not intervening.
A bystander called police but the fight had ended by the time officers arrived.
They spoke with one of the men involved, who blamed the fight on the two women, while the rest of the men refused to cooperate or show their IDs to police, Emma said.
Police told CTV News that they are investigating the incident and no charges have been brought.
Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@metro.co.uk.
For more stories like this, check our news page.
