Cardiff student violently beaten in suspected homophobic attack
The student, who wishes to be known as "Mr Wu", was attacked just hours after Pride month came to an end last week.
Words: Alastair James; pictures: Wiki
A Cardiff University student was beaten up in a suspected homophobic attack in the Welsh capital last week.
The victim, who wishes to be known as “Mr. Wu”, was attacked outside a petrol station in the Cathedral Road area of the city on Thursday (1 July).
He and a friend had been out celebrating Pride month when the incident took place.
“I can’t believe things like that still happen in Cardiff”
As reported by WalesOnline, Mr. Wu says two men got out of a taxi near an Esso petrol station on Cathedral Road, shortly after midnight last Thursday.
He says the men started swearing at him and his friend, before throwing objects from the petrol station shop at them.
Mr. Wu told WalesOnline: “My friend was drunk so I acted quite roughly to protect him when they threw things at us”.
The men attacked him once his friend was inside the shop, he went on to explain.
The men punched him and knocked him on the ground before leaving in the same taxi that they had go out of.
Mr Wu has been left with a broken nose, missing teeth, and injuries to his mouth, and has been told he’ll need private medical care to fix his teeth, which he says will cost around £2,500.
He was shocked this happened so shortly after Pride month, saying: “I can’t believe things like that still happen in Cardiff.” He’s described the pain from his teeth as “intense” saying it affects his sleeping and that he doesn’t have a dentist in Cardiff.
South Wales Police says it’s investigating and has encouraged people with information to come forward.
It’s not the only incident of this kind Attitude has had to report on during Pride month this year. There were three similar attacks against university students in Liverpool within one week.
Posting on Instagram after being attacked in Liverpool, Tyler Jones said: “It’s pride month and I should be celebrating my identity, but instead I am still victimised for it. HOMOPHOBIA STILL EXISTS IN 2021.”
It’s also not an issue exclusive to the UK. Yesterday (6 July), Attitude reported on another suspected homophobic assault which resulted in the death of 24-year-old Samuel Luiz in Spain. Three people have now been arrested in connection with Samuel’s death.
And over the weekend, a Pride parade in the capital of Georgia, Tbilisi has been cancelled after far-right protestors attacked the organisers of the parade.