Man struck on head in suspected homophobic attack as he walked with partner in heart of Soho

A man was beaten over the head with an umbrella in an alleged homophobic attack in Soho .

Linus Karp was walking through Dean Street in the heart of London ’s West End with his partner, Joseph Martin, when the assault happened at 8pm on Tuesday.

“All of a sudden I just feel this blow to my head,” he told the Standard.

He turned to realise a man had approached him from behind, and had struck him with the hooked handle of an umbrella, so hard the wooden handle had fallen off.

“I have never felt a blow like it,” said Mr Karp, an actor, writer and director who lives with Mr Martin in Highgate.

“I was just so confused at first. My glasses flew off, the handle from the umbrella flew into the street.”

Mr Martin saw what was happening from the corner of their eye and managed to raise his arm, which “softened the blow a bit”, said Mr Karp.

Mr Martin followed the assailant and tackled him to the floor, holding him in place until police arrived.Mr Karp, who runs theatre company Awkward Productions with Mr Martin, went to A&E where he was checked over before being discharged with a “very sore head”.

“At the moment I don’t feel scared, I just feel angry,” he told the Standard.

“It's just not something you'd ever think would happen to yourself,” he added on X.

He urged other LGBTQ+ people: “Please be cautious around Soho”.

Mr Karp posted about the incident to his 10,000 X followers, prompting an outpouring of messages of support.

A Metropolitan Police spokesperson said: “Police were called just after 20:00hrs on Tuesday, 23 July to a report of an assault on Dean Street, Soho.

“Officers attended and a man was found with head injuries, believed to have been caused by an umbrella. He was taken to hospital for treatment.

“A man was arrested nearby and remains in custody.

Superintendent Beth Pirie said she knows the assault “will cause significant concern, particularly within the local LGBTQ+ community.

“There is no place for hate in London and we will not tolerate this type of behaviour. A fast-time arrest was made and our officers are continuing to carry out all lines of enquiry. Our thoughts remain with the victim, who has been spoken to by a specialist liaison officer and will be updated as the investigation progresses.”

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