December 4th 2024.
A man from Melbourne, named Frank Bonnici, has shared a frightening incident that occurred while he was on a walk with his partner, Mykey O'Halloran. They were crossing the Darebin Creek footbridge in Preston on a Saturday night when they were approached by four young people who began hurling homophobic slurs at them.
According to Bonnici, the group kept yelling derogatory remarks towards them, so he decided to stand up for himself and his partner by responding, "Yeah, we're gay. What are you going to do about it? What's it to you?" However, things quickly turned violent as one of the offenders swung a machete at the couple and another took Bonnici's phone.
The 47-year-old, who works as a yoga teacher and support worker, was rushed to the hospital for a laceration on his arm that required plastic surgery. Reflecting on the incident, Bonnici expressed his fear and frustration, saying, "He could've easily killed me with that machete. Now I have to give up my work and I'm losing a significant amount of income. It's a huge setback for me."
Despite undergoing surgery and preparing for six weeks of rehabilitation, Bonnici's surgeon is uncertain if he will ever regain full use of his arm. This traumatic experience has greatly impacted his life, both physically and financially. Bonnici also expressed his anger towards the attackers, stating that they will most likely receive a minimal sentence if caught due to their young age.
Mykey O'Halloran, Bonnici's partner, also shared his shock and fear over the incident. He described feeling his "gut drop" when the attack occurred and stated that he no longer feels safe in the area. O'Halloran also mentioned that while he has experienced homophobia before, he never imagined it escalating to such a violent level.
The four young attackers ran away with Bonnici's phone, and the investigation is still ongoing. Anyone with information is urged to contact Crime Stoppers. Bonnici also took the opportunity to remind people to stay informed and up-to-date by downloading the 9NEWS app, which provides notifications on breaking news, sports, politics, and weather. It is available on the Apple App Store and Google Play.
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