South Australia Police release photos of alleged homophobic attackers

South Australia Police have released CCTV footage in an attempt to find those responsible for an alleged brutal attack on a young same-sex couple at Rundle Mall earlier this month, which police are investigating as an alleged anti-gay hate crime.

As a result of the incident, which took place on the evening of November 10 at 8:30 p.m., one of the victims was taken to hospital with a broken jaw, and the other suffered significant bruises.

South Australia Police are looking for three men

The married couple, two men in their 20s, said they were holding hands when two men approached them.

According to reports, one of the attackers put a balaclava on his face before starting the attack.

According to South Australia Police, a second suspect joined in, repeatedly punching one of the victims, including breaking his jaw twice.

The third person allegedly present during the attack did not take part in it.”

“It’s terrible and the pain is 10/10. I’m afraid to walk down the street because someone will hit me again,” said one of the victims 7 News Adelaide anonymously.

They described the trauma of being targeted because of their sexuality in public places.

“At first they started shouting about homosexual harassment.”

“They just punched us in the face repeatedly… they broke my partner’s jaw twice and I also got bruises on my face and legs.”

The attack reportedly ended with the intervention of a local shop owner, causing the attackers to flee east along Rundle Mall and then into a side street.

However, victims expressed disappointment at the lack of support from bystanders who did not try to help the men.

“It was traumatic for both of us. You know, people like that shouldn’t be there and living a free life when we’re stuck inside, we can’t work, we can’t speak, we can’t eat,” one of them said.

South Australia Police have released CCTV images of the suspects and are appealing to anyone with information to come forward.

A search of the area conducted shortly after the attack failed to locate the perpetrators, and an investigation is ongoing.

A broader pattern of violence

The attack in Adelaide is not an isolated incident. Across Australia, LGBTQIA+ people are increasingly the target of hate crime.

IN Victoria, police arrested 13 people following a series of attacks in which gay men were lured through dating apps such as Grindr. Victims in these cases reported being attacked, robbed and subjected to homophobic abuse after being deceived by fake profiles.

Kelly Lawson, Acting Chief Constable of Victoria Police’s Priorities and Safer Communities Unit, stressed law enforcement’s commitment to tackling such crimes. “There is absolutely no place for this type of disturbing behavior in our society,” she said, calling on victims to report incidents to police.

Reports of similar attacks have also emerged from Canberra and Western Australia, revealing a disturbing pattern of targeted violence against the LGBTQIA+ community across the country.

Advocates are calling for stronger protections, better public education and greater visibility of hate crimes to combat this alarming trend.