Northampton police are appealing for witnesses in a suspected homophobic attack. (JON SUPER / AFP) (Photo by JON SUPER/AFP via Getty Images)
Roiled by road rage, a cyclist assaulted a man, hurling homophobic abuse at him and trapping his leg in a car door.
A cyclist in Northampton, England launched an attack against a motorist, shouting homophobic abuse at the victim while punching him in the face.
A Northamptonshire Police spokesman said: “The suspect became aggressive and started pushing his bike towards the victim, who then walked away.
“As he did so, the offender shouted the abuse at him, before proceeding to follow him to his car where he pushed the door of the car onto the victim’s leg.
“The offender then caused damage to the driver’s door by punching it, as well punching the victim to the face.”
The cyclist then peddled away from the scene, police said. He was around 30 years of age, of slim build and around 5’9″ with dark hair and salt and pepper-coloured stubble.
Authorities added that the suspect wore a light-coloured top, dark-toned shorts, black gloves and carried a backpack. The bike he rode, they said, was a dark mountain bike with light-coloured handles.
According to the Northampton Chronicle & Echo, the offender assailed the victim at Weggs Farm Road, Duston, at the junction with Sandy Lane, at around 2pm on Tuesday (June 23). The victim drove a blue Vauxhall.
Police are asking any witnesses — especially motorists who may have dashcam footage of the incident — or anyone with information to call on 101 using incident number 20000319805.
Anti-LGBT+ hate crimes are rocketing in England and Wales.
Many LGBT+ people continue to face disproportionate levels of violence and discrimination in the UK and across the world due to their sexual or gender identity.
Last October, data published by the Home Office showed an alarming increase in rates of homophobic and transphobic hate crimes in the England and Wales over the preceding year.
There was a 37 per cent surge in the number of transphobic hate crimes, while there was a 25 per cent surge in homophobic hate crimes.
Some 27 per cent of anti-trans hate crime reports were for violent offences, while 24 per cent were for stalking and harassment, and 39 per cent for other public order offences.
But as much as prosecutors have stressed the rise is, in part, due to a climb in the amount of victims reporting hate crimes, activists nevertheless warn that the figures are likely even higher than official data suggests.