Gay club attacked
in England

A gang of weapon-wielding thugs trashed a gay nightclub in the British city of Sheffield over the weekend, The [Sheffield] Star newspaper reports. The gang of five people burst into Club X-es and destroyed lights behind the bar, pulled off beer pumps, and smashed windows.

Three clubbers who tried to intervene and stop the attackers were hurt, the paper reports. South Yorkshire police on Tuesday revealed they are treating the attack as "a homophobic incident." "So far the only suggested motive is that this was a homophobic attack on the people in the club or those running it," said Det. Con Nathan Hoole. "Those responsible, believed to be five men, stormed in, shouted insults, and set about trashing the place. They caused considerable damage to the bar area.... We believe they came with the intention of causing damage and that people who got in their way got assaulted. They came brandishing weapons, so this was preplanned. This is being treated extremely seriously."

Officers called to the disturbance, which happened at 2:45 A.M. on Saturday, spoke to some clubbers at the scene at the time, but they now want to hear from anyone they may have missed or who knows anything about those involved. The owners of the club refused to comment but said, "It's in the hands of the police." (Advocate.com)