A 16-year-old boy has been arrested in connection with alleged homophobic abuse of an actor in Chichester which left the victim shaken and led to the cancellation of a theatre performance.
Sussex Police said the victim, a man in his 20s, reported being followed and verbally abused by a group of young men riding bicycles in Chichester city centre.
The incident happened in the Little London car park, behind East Street, at around 6pm on Tuesday, 13 October, and is being treated by police as a homophobic hate crime.
The victim was a member of the cast of A Midsummer Night's Dream at Chichester Festival Theatre, which subsequently cancelled that evening's performance.
The theatre previously said the actor had been subjected to an "appallingly abusive attack" and was "aggressively hounded and physically pursued through the centre of Chichester".
Police have now confirmed that a 16-year-old boy, who cannot be named for legal reasons, was arrested on suspicion of using threatening or abusive words or behaviour likely to cause harassment, alarm or distress.
He was also arrested on suspicion of shop theft.
The teenager was issued with a Community Protection Warning and released on bail while police enquiries continue.
Officers said they visited the victim at a nearby venue following the incident to provide reassurance and take a full statement.
Inspector Dave Lyons, from Chichester Neighbourhood Policing Team, said: "This was a distressing incident for the victim and we understand the concern it has caused for the wider community.
"Hate has no place in our communities. We understand that reporting it can sometime be difficult, but we continue to encourage anyone impacted by hate crimes to report them to Sussex Police.
"We are continuing to work with partner agencies in Chichester to further support victims of crime."
The incident has also prompted condemnation from Chichester Pride, which said it was "appalled" by what had happened and expressed solidarity with the victim, colleagues at Chichester Festival Theatre and LGBTQ+ people affected by the incident.
In a statement following the attack, the organisation said: "Nobody should have to experience intimidation, harassment or violence because of who they are, or who others perceive them to be."
It added that the incident, which happened during National Hate Crime Awareness Week, was a "sobering reminder of the prejudice and hostility that LGBTQ+ people continue to face, including within our own communities".
Chichester Pride said: "There is no place for homophobia or any other form of discrimination or hate in Chichester."
Sussex Police has asked anyone with information about the incident to contact the force, quoting serial 47260238010.
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