Gang of ‘aggressive’ 20 thugs hurl homophobic threats at two young boys in ‘hate crime’

Man rushed to hospital after 'violent' homophobic attack at London pub

Essex Police have launched a probe after a gang of some 20 thugs hurled homophobic abuse and threatened two young boys in Basildon, England.

As England grapples with an escalating rate of homophobic hate crimes, a hunt is underway to find a throng of young people who targeted two teens in Lake Meadows, a  park in Billericay, on Thursday afternoon (1 July).

According to county law enforcement, witnesses shared reports on social media of seeing around 20 youths threatening two boys.

The group, Essex Police said according to Liverpool Echo, began “acting aggressive” towards the boys in an incident the authorities are treating as a hate crime.

“We received reports of a group of people acting aggressively towards and threatening two boys in Lake Meadows, Basildon shortly before 5pm on Thursday, 1 July,” a spokesperson for the force told the newspaper.

“It was also reported the victims were subjected to homophobic abuse.

“The incident is being treated as a hate crime.”

“If you have any information you can submit a report online at https://www.essex.police.uk or use the ‘Live Chat’ button to speak to an online operator between 7am-11pm.

“Please quote incidents 858 and 968 of July 1.

“You can also call us on 101 or contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.”

Homophobic hate crimes have more than doubled in recent years, data shows

The mood is of rising tension in England as the country has recorded a years-long surge in anti-LGBT+ hate crimes that have left activists alarmed and prosecutors scrambling.

Between 2015 and 2018, homophobic and transphobic hate crimes more than doubled in England and Wales.

Across these four years, the rate of LGBT+ hate crime, including offences such as harassment, assault and stalking, rocketed up by 144 per cent.

Transphobic violence especially shows little signs in petering out, with police investigating around seven anti-trans offences per day, according to the Home Office.

In Liverpool, a spate of homophobic attacks in recent weeks has left the local LGBT+ community reeling, spurring hundreds of people to march in protest as locals locked arms against hatred.

While in Bournemouth, a trans man, just 21, was left with a bloodied and bruised face, his underwear torn, after knife-wielding transphobic thugs attacked him.

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