Gay couple beaten with heavy bolt cutters, seriously injuring one
Gay couple Jasper Vernes-Sewratan and Ronnie Sewratan-Vernes were attacked by a group of men while walking home hand in hand from a party in Arnhem during the early hours of Sunday morning. Ronnie lost four teeth and part of a fifth in the attack. Jasper got away with bruised ribs and bruises on his back and knee, RTL Nieuws reports.
The two were on their way home from a dance party at Luxor Live in Arnhem. "We'll almost never show in public that we are in a relationship", Jasper told the broadcaster. "But we had a few drinks, it was dark on the street and there were almost no people, so we held hands."
When they reached the Nelson Mandela Bridge they were confronted by a group of six to eight young men. "I think they were Moroccans. They began to shout: disgusting, dirty, homo, such things. We shouted something back and walked on, but all of a sudden they came after us." Jasper said to RTL.
Before they knew what was happening, the two men were pulled apart. "Suddenly I saw a guy pull bolt cutters out of his jacket and I heard Ronnie screaming: Jasper, Jasper, they knocked all my teeth out of my mouth'." When Jasper reached his partner, Ronnie was covered n blood. "He was very upset. I immediately called 112. The ambulance took us to the hospital, where his lip was attached."
A 20-year-old man and a 14-year-old boy were arrested in connection with this attack. The police expect that more arrests will follow and call for witnesses to come forward.
