Sheffield gay bar ransacked

Illustrated rainbow pride flag on a white background.

Gay clubbers were attacked on the weekend in a suspected homophobic attack on a Sheffield night club.

Sheffield gay bar, Club X-es was trashed by a gang of five early on Sunday morning. Three patrons who tried to intervene were injured and many others were hurt in the crossfire of smashed windows and optics.

South Yorkshire Police confirmed they are treating it as “a homophobic incident.”

Det Con Nathan Hoole, who is investigating, told Sheffield Today, “So far the only suggested motive is that this was a homophobic attack on the people in the club or those running it.”

“Those responsible, believed to be five men, stormed in, shouted insults and set about trashing the place. They caused considerable damage to the bar area, smashing the optics and pulling off beer pumps.”

“It is thought everything happened quickly, that they were intent on causing damage and that within a minute or so they had achieved what they wanted to and left.”

“We believe they came with the intention of causing damage and that people who got in their way got assaulted. They came brandishing weapons, so this was pre-planned.

“This is being treated extremely seriously.”

The club owners refused to comment but said: “It’s in the hands of the police.”