A shocking homophobic attack in Soho has left a queer man with a head injury, highlighting the rising tide of anti-LGBTQ+ hate crimes. Linus Karp, an actor and writer, was attacked on Dean Street by a man wielding an umbrella. The blow was so forceful that the umbrella broke, leaving Karp with a painful head injury. Karp’s boyfriend, Joseph, intervened heroically, potentially saving Karp’s life.
Karp described the terrifying moment: “I felt a blow to my head, and I’ve never felt a blow like it, it was really hard. The wooden handle of the umbrella hit my forehead with such force that the umbrella broke, and the wooden part flew off, and my glasses flew off.” Joseph’s quick reaction, raising his hand to protect Karp, may have lessened the impact. The attacker, however, chillingly told Joseph, “You saved his life, I would have killed him.”
The attacker continued to hurl abuse even while being detained by police. He used derogatory terms such as calling Karp and Joseph pedophiles and rapists, typical homophobic slurs. The couple reported the incident to the police, who took the matter seriously. Karp was taken to the hospital, where he was treated for a sore head, and he considered himself lucky that the injury wasn’t worse.
Karp urged the LGBTQ+ community to be cautious in Soho, noting that anti-queer hate crimes are alarmingly on the rise. He emphasized that what happened to him is not an isolated incident. Running a queer theatre company, Awkward Productions, Karp is acutely aware of the pervasive impact of anti-LGBTQ+ rhetoric and hate speech.
Since sharing his ordeal online, Karp has received numerous messages from other LGBTQ+ individuals recounting similar experiences. This incident underscores the need for heightened awareness and action against hate crimes targeting the LGBTQ+ community. Superintendent Beth Pirie confirmed the homophobic nature of the assault and assured that a fast-time arrest was made, with ongoing inquiries into the incident.