Gay couple left bloodied after a brutal homophobic attack in Birmingham

Rob and Patrick, in their 30s, were outside the Missing Bar in the city’s Gay Village on Sunday. The police said the abuse came from a group of four men in a black SUV, who then got out and assaulted the victims. Patrick was knocked unconscious in the attack and his partner was shocked that this could happen in 2021.

From the town of Bicester in Oxfordshire, the two had been in the city for a friend’s party before they decided to end the night by going dancing. As they left the bar, Rob told the BBC he and Patrick saw an SUV full of balloons drive past. He asked if they were for a birthday.

“They did not like that and went into all sort of foul language, including homophobic slurs directed at us,” Rob told the news service.

Authorities said the assailants grabbed a phone Patrick had been using to film the attack. A friend with them attempted to get the phone back but was dragged by the SUV as the assailants’ fleed, injuring her foot.

Rob said he chased down the SUV as it was leaving only for it to stop and the attackers to get out and start hitting him with glass bottles.

Then, Patrick said he attempted to stop the attack, however, “someone from the car got out and hit me from behind my head and I blacked out.”

While Rob told the BBC he regretted chasing the group, he added that the Gay Village, “should be a safe area to be who you want and not have to tolerate people yelling homophobic remarks at you.”