Four teenagers have been charged for a highly-publicized attack on two women on a London bus in May, London’s Metropolitan Police said Thursday. The male suspects are all between the ages of 15 and 17.
One of the victims, Melania Geymonat, described the harrowing experience on Facebook, saying a group of young men demanded she kiss her girlfriend, Chris, for their entertainment.
According to Geymonat, even as the couple tried to defuse the situation, the youths attacked them anyway. The teens ran away, and a phone and bag were stolen during the assault, police said. Both women were taken to hospital for treatment to facial injuries and later released.
All four teens have been charged with an aggravated hate crime under the Public Order Act. Three of the suspects face additional charges, including theft, handling stolen goods and possession of cannabis.
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Then Prime Minister Theresa May said the May 30 assault was “sickening,” and London Mayor Sadiq Khan called it a “disgusting, misogynistic attack.”
In an interview with BBC News, Chris said she won’t be afraid to show affection in public moving forward. “I am not scared about being visibly queer,” she said. “If anything, you should do it more. There are a lot of people’s rights at risk and people’s basic safety is at risk.”
The suspects’ names were not released due to their age. They will appear in court Wednesday, Aug. 21.
