London Police arrested four teenagers Friday for beating up and allegedly trying to rob a lesbian couple on a top deck of a night bus in London.
The couple were identified as Melanie Geymonat, 28, originally from Uruguay, and her girlfriend, who only identified herself as Chris, 29, an American — were on their way home when a group of young men, aged 15 to 18, demanded them to kiss for their entertainment.
According to Geymonat, the young men started to harass them with “lewd and homophobic” comments and even describing different sexual positions. At first, Chris tried to make jokes to somehow lessen the tension. She even pretended that she was sick, but it did not stop the youths from attacking them. Things escalated quickly into violence.
“We must have kissed or something because these guys came after us,†Geymonat wrote. “I don’t remember if they were already there or if they got on after us. There were at least four of them. They started behaving like hooligans, demanding that we kissed so they could enjoy watching, calling us ‘lesbians’ and describing sexual positions. I don’t remember the whole episode, but the word ‘scissors’ stuck in my mind,” Geymonat described her nightmare in a Facebook post.
“They started behaving like hooligans, demanding that we kissed so they could enjoy watching, calling us ‘lesbians’ and describing sexual positions,” Geymonat added “Chris even pretended she was sick, but they kept on harassing us, throwing us coins and becoming more enthusiastic about it. The next thing I know is that Chris is in the middle of the bus fighting with them.”
Geymonat said the next thing she knew is that she has blood all over her.
When the bus stopped, London authorities showed up. The teenagers ran away with their belongings. The couple were taken to the nearest hospital.
London Metropolitan police shared on twitter that the four were arrested on suspicion of robbery and aggravated grievous bodily harm.
London Mayor Sadiq Khan called the assault “disgusting” and “misogynistic attack.”
“Hate crimes against LGBT+ people will not be tolerated in London,” he said. The @metpoliceuk are investigating. If you have any information about this call 101 to report it,” Khan tweeted
Geymonat expressed her disappointment and disbelief in having to fear and be judged for being gay.
“I’m tired of being taken as a SEXUAL OBJECT, of finding out that these situations are usual, of gay friends who were beaten up JUST BECAUSE,” she said. “We have to endure verbal harassment AND CHAUVINIST, MISOGYNISTIC AND HOMOPHOBIC VIOLENCE because when you stand up for yourself sh*t like this happens. I just hope that in June, Pride Month, stuff like this can be spoken out loudly so they STOP HAPPENING!”
