Cambridge student hospitalised after suspected homophobic attack
Four students were attacked and all suffered injuries.
Words: Alastair James; Image: Trinity College Cambridge (Wiki Commons)
Four Cambridge University students were the victims of a suspected homophobic attack which resulted in one of them being hospitalised because of their injuries.
The students, from Wolfson College, had all been at Glitterbomb, Cambridge’s LGBTQ student club night before they were attacked in the early hours of Wednesday 23 February.
A group of six, including five men and a woman, are said to have initially used homophobic language.
“Be alert”
The university paper, Varsity, reports that the derogatory remarks including transphobic comments aimed at a non-binary member of the four students who was then kicked and punched repeatedly.
During the attack, all four students suffered injuries. A woman, 24, received hospital treatment for a fractured nose, partially deviated septum, bruised eyes, and a concussion after she collapsed as a result of the attack.
Wolfson College has urged its students to “be alert”, and said the attack was “without provocation”.
Cambridgeshire Constabulary has confirmed to Varsity that it is investigating. Attitude has contacted Cambridgeshire Constabulary for comment.
Homophobic hate crimes have doubled in the last four years, according to the latest Home Office figures, with more than 17,000 incidents recorded between 2020 and 2021 and around 8,500 in 2016/17. Anti-trans hate crime has also doubled in the same time period.