Trans woman ‘repeatedly punched in the face’ and left covered in blood after attack in Belfast
Heartbreaking.
Words: Jamie Tabberer
A trans woman has spoken out after falling victim to a physical attack in Belfast city centre.
Anna Montgomery says she was enjoying a night out with her boyfriend Jamie Girvan when she was “repeatedly punched in the face” by an assailant.
The 20-year-old was left with blood on her face after the incident.
Speaking to Attitude, Montgomery explained: “I was out for date night with my boyfriend in a restaurant named Bootleggers. We were sitting in one of the booths finishing our dinner and this person walked into the restaurant, over to my booth and started repeatedly punching me in the face.
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“I just remember blood all down my clothes and looking up to glasses smashed all over the floor.
“My boyfriend got up and pushed the person off me. The door staff of the restaurant took the [attacker] outside.”
Asked if the attack was motivated by transphobia, she replied: “I believe it was, yes.”
She added: “I am doing fine – I’m just so overwhelmed with the support I have got from people.”
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Police are treating the attack as a hate crime, reports Belfast Live, who also quote a Police Service of Northern Ireland spokesman as saying: “Police are investigating the report of an assault in the Church Lane area of Belfast on Saturday, 26 September.
“Enquiries are continuing into this matter, which is being treated as a hate crime.”
Attitude has approached Police service Northern Ireland for comment.