Arabic version: مهرجان يصف الاعتداء على أحد رواده في أديلايد بأنه هجوم بدافع رهاب المثلية

According to ABC News, the Adelaide Film Festival has described an assault that seriously injured one of its patrons as a homophobic attack. The incident occurred in Adelaide’s CBD after movie-goers left a screening of Jim Queen last Saturday night, the festival said.

In a social media post, the festival said the patron was assaulted while waiting for transport home. It said the reported nature of the abuse indicated the assault appeared to be homophobic. Police said they responded to reports at about 3:50am on Sunday that a man had been assaulted by a group of people he did not know near North Terrace and Bank Street.

The man was taken to hospital for treatment. Police said investigations to identify those responsible were ongoing. Adelaide Film Festival chief executive Mat Kesting said the incident was reported to the organisation in the days after the event and that it began with verbal homophobic abuse before becoming physical. He said the patron had suffered serious injuries but was recovering and had left hospital.

The festival and Feast Festival said in a joint statement that they were deeply distressed and devastated by the attack, and condemned discrimination in all forms. Mr Kesting said the festival was standing with its patron and called the incident outrageous.

South Australian Attorney-General Kyam Maher said there was no place for homophobic abuse in the state. Emergency Services Minister Rhiannon Pearce described the assault as absolutely appalling and said everybody had the right to feel safe in the community. Queer advocate Margaret Fischer said homophobia remained common, while noting that people had reportedly come to the man’s aid.