Two gay men attacked in Edinburgh

Three people have been arrested after two gay men, who are thought to be a married couple, were violently attacked on Edinburgh’s Leith Street on July 30. According to the Edinburgh Evening News, the incident happened at around 9.20 pm, with an eye-witness seeing a group of four men kick and punch the pair before stealing one of their bags and fleeing the scene.

The eye-witness added: “It was unprovoked entirely – the [victims] did not fight back, they only tried to defend themselves…The boys were laughing, egging each other on and calling the victims p**fs.” The attack is now being investigated as a hate crime, with police announcing on August 7 that three men, aged  23, 22 and 21, have been arrested in connection with the incident.

The suspected perpetrators are now due to appear at the Edinburgh Sheriff Court. Detective inspector Mark McGraw condemned the attack, saying: “Any form of hate crime has a huge impact on those targeted. An attack on people because of their sexual orientation, gender identity, race or beliefs, is abhorrent and will not be tolerated.”