Attackers cornered a New York City gay man on the train, called him a ‘fruitcake’ and punched him in the face.
At around 7:30pm last night (6 February) in Queens, Kevin Etwaru was heading to his friend’s house to watch a movie.
As he was scrolling through Twitter on his phone, he had his head down and earphones in listening to music. He noticed three teenagers walking towards his side of the train carriage.
Etwaru told Gay Star News: ‘Then I heard something hit the window next to me. It sounded like a coin or something.
He added: ‘I was going to turn my music off and as soon as I did all I heard was “You fucking fruitcake!”
One of the boys threw a bottle of Gatorade at the window next to Etwaru, causing it to spill on the seat in front of him. It also spilt on the window, his hoodie and jeans.
Gatorade spilt all over Kevin Etwaru. | Photo: supplied
Etwaru said: ‘I was in utter shock, I didn’t have much time to react. Some of them were saying, “Only a faggot would sit like that.”
‘I had put my feet up on the chair in front of me, I guess that’s gay these days? Who knows?
‘And as soon as I turned around to look at them, one of them punched me on my left jaw causing me to bite down very hard on my tongue.
He added: ‘I didn’t realize it until after when I tasted blood.
‘They wanted to hurt me and provoke me’
As soon as the attackers punched Etwaru, they ran off.
Etwaru said: ‘They wanted to hurt me and provoke me.’
But one of them came back to taunt Etwaru even further, saying: ‘Yo, how you gonna let him punch you in the face?!’
Kevin and his sister. | Photo: supplied
That’s when a woman on a train stood up and threw her cup of ice at him forcing him to flee as well.
Two other women stood up and ran to the door to chase the boys off, but they were already gone.
He then thanked the three women for their help.
‘It was definitely homophobia’
Etwaru said he didn’t go to the police because he was in shock and didn’t think they would be able to do anything about it.
I’m gonna reflect off this experience and acknowledge that as a gay cisgendered male, I am a target but our trans brothers and sister are more likely to be victims of hate crimes which end in fatalities. Raise awareness of trans rights and educate! Make spaces safe for everyone!!
— vers agenda (@whoresola) February 7, 2018
He told GSN: ‘It was definitely homophobic, on account of the slurs.
‘I like to think that, thank god it was me and not someone else. I was mentally and physically prepared for that, but maybe another LGBT member wouldn’t have been.
He asked: ‘What if they would’ve taken it even farther on a member of the trans community?’
Photo: supplied
Etwaru said: ‘If I had the chance to confront them face to face, I would tell them that I refuse to give them the reaction they want.
‘I believe in love and peace and positive energy. I would tell them that I hope they grow to learn those traits, and to let go of all the hate that they have in their hearts,’ he said.
