Detectives are appealing for information following an assault that took place in South London on Saturday 19 August.
It happened at approximately 22:30hours, when two men were stood waiting at a bus stop on Brixton Road, SW9. They were approached by an unknown man who assaulted them, by punching them both to the head.
Both men, one aged in his 30s and the other aged in his 40s, were taken to hospital for treatment and have since been discharged.
While the investigation is ongoing, at this stage the incident is being treated as a homophobic attack.
Whilst officers are keeping an open mind, at this time it is not being linked to another incident in Clapham High Street on 13 August .
Detective Sergeant Simon Allen said: “This is a horrific and truly shocking attack and we know that this is likely to concern local people, especially those from the LGBT+ community.
“We stand with you in our utter disgust and are doing all we can to trace the suspect involved in this cruel and unprovoked attack. We have carried out a number of CCTV enquiries and we are now appealing for help from members of the public to assist with our investigation.
“We believe there were several people in the immediate area at the time of the incident, who may be potential witnesses and we would urge those people to come and speak with police.”
At this time no arrests have been made although enquiries remain ongoing.
Both victims are being supported by a dedicated LGBT+ Community Liaison Officer. Their role is to support individuals who have been involved in hate crimes towards the LGBT+ community.
Anyone with information or who may have witnessed the incident should call 101 quoting the following reference 8673/22AUG.
Anyone wishing to remain 100% anonymous can contact the independent charity Crimestoppers by calling 0800 555 111. They never ask for your personal information and they do not track your device.
