Gay Couple Bloodied in Attack on a London Bus

Melania Geymonat said the men made sexual gestures and demanded that the two women kiss before they attacked.

By Emily Mee, news reporter, Sky News

Friday 7 June 2019 11:43, UK

LGBTLONDON

Melania Geymonat and her girlfriend Chris were left bloodied after the attack. Pic: Melania Geymonat

Image:

Melania Geymonat and her girlfriend Chris were left bloodied after the attack. Pic: Melania Geymonat

  

A woman who was left bloodied on a London bus while heading home from a date with her girlfriend has spoken out against "chauvinist, misogynistic and homophobic violence". 

Melania Geymonat, 28, and her girlfriend Chris were on a night bus heading to Camden, north London, on 30 May when a group of four men started to make lewd comments and asked them to kiss. 

The women were then attacked and punched several times before the assailants ran off the bus.

In a Facebook post, Miss Geymonat said the pair had been sitting on the top deck of a double-decker bus and there appeared to be no one else around when the incident happened.

"We must have kissed or something because these guys came after us," she said. 

"They started behaving like hooligans, demanding that we kissed so they could enjoy watching, calling us 'lesbians' and describing sexual positions.

"In an attempt to calm things down, I started making jokes. I thought this might make them go away.

"Chris even pretended she was sick, but they kept on harassing us, throwing us coins and becoming more enthusiastic about it."

Miss Geymonat said her girlfriend confronted the men and three of them began "beating her up".

After trying to intervene, Miss Geymonat said she was also punched.

She said, "I got dizzy at the sight of my blood and fell back. I don't remember whether or not I lost consciousness.

"Suddenly the bus had stopped, the police were there and I was bleeding all over."

Both women suffered facial injuries and were taken to hospital, while Miss Geymonat added she may have broken her nose during the ordeal.

The attackers also stole a phone and bag from the women.

Miss Geymonat said one of the men spoke Spanish and the others had British accents.

London Mayor Sadiq Khan described the incident as a "disgusting, misogynistic attack" and said hate crimes against the LGBT+ community "will not be tolerated in London".

In her social media post, Miss Geymonat said she was tired of hearing about gay friends being beaten up "just because".

"We have to endure verbal harassment and chauvinist, misogynistic and homophobic violence," she said.

Police have appealed for witnesses to come forward with information.