Attacks on gay men in the North

cork | rights, freedoms and repression | news report Wednesday July 21, 2004 11:17 by Paul McAndrew

Attacks on gay men in the North have reached the crisis point and it is "only a matter of time before someone is killed in a homophobic attack," an LGBT civil rights group warned Tuesday.

In a period of seven weeks in April/May 2004, there were eight homophobic attacks in [Derry] So far this year there have been 17 gay bashings, the same number as occurred during the whole of 2003..

The bashings are becoming increasingly vicious Sean Morrin from [Derry]'s Rainbow Project said.

"There are no boundaries whatsoever," Morrin said. "My fear is that it will not be long until someone is murdered in these situations."

The most recent attack occurred Sunday where a gay man was accosted and bitten on the face. The wound required five stitches and the victim will need plastic surgery later.

A 25-year-old man was later arrested and released, pending a police investigation.

In March, Northern Ireland Chief Constable Hugh Orde said the Police Service of Northern Ireland would crack down on rising levels of racial and homophobic attacks.

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