Three gay men were allegedly “hunted” by a gang with knives in Phoenix Park on Monday, June 17. One of the victims spoke to GCN about the incident, which was also raised before the Seanad.

According to the man who was targeted, he and his friends went to the popular Dublin park for a “peaceful walk” on Monday evening, when they were approached by a car full of people pretending to be Gardaí. 

“Of course, we did think they were, so we hesitated and stopped walking,” he told GCN. “We then quickly realised they were not police as there were at least six men in the car.”

As he and his friends walked away, the group “started to get more malicious”, so they started walking fast and then running towards the nearest exit.

“As I ran, I heard the men scream slurs; they had begun to say which one of us they were gonna get,” the victim recalled.

“They also were telling one another to ‘get the shank and throw the bottle’. They had all literally jumped out of their car and left the car running with all doors swinging open so I believe they were really serious about what they were gonna do to us.”

The gang reportedly got back in the car and blocked the exit that the three men were rushing towards. 

“They were waiting with flashlights to see us, the only option we had was to jump in a bush full of nettles and hide until they left.”

A similar situation occurred when they tried to leave through another exit.

“This all went on for just over an hour because every way we tried to go they were there. I really believe if they got us they would have badly hurt us or worse,” he expressed.

“I was lucky enough to live nearby the park so we ran to my house to then see them drive past us as we walked in my front gate, so the chance of them knowing where I live are very high.”

The three gay men said they contacted Gardaí about the incident, but were reportedly told that there are no CCTV cameras in Phoenix Park and even if they did find the car, the chances of justice being served were very low.

When contacted by The Irish Times, a member of An Garda Síochána said they were aware of “an incident alleged to have occurred,” but that no complaint had been made for investigation. 

“Gardaí responded at 11:35pm but following a lengthy patrol of the area no person made any formal report,” they said.

The representative added that “anyone with direct knowledge or who has been a victim of such an incident in the area” should contact the station in Cabra or the diversity unit at the Garda National Community Engagement Bureau.

Fine Gael Senator Barry Ward raised the issue before the Seanad after being contacted by one of the victims, reporting: “They were chased down and, as he said, ‘hunted’ by six men with knives”.

“What on earth is going on that this still happens in Ireland in 2024 when every right-thinking member of society recognised the normality of sexual relationships between people of the same gender of same sex?” the Senator asked.

He added that the Garda’s reported response to the group of gay men was “not good enough” and that there should be patrols in Phoenix Park to protect people.

“We see reports far too regularly of people being attacked because of their sexuality or being abused on the street. These are ordinary people walking down the street holding hands getting verbal abuse from people who do not seem to understand that they are perfectly entitled to do that,” he said.

CEO of Outhouse LGBTQ+ Centre in Dublin Oisín O’Reilly also commented on the event, describing it as “both shocking and deeply troubling”.

“This incident, while horrifying, sadly reflects a persistent issue in our society where LGBTQ+ people continue to be targeted simply for being themselves. Our primary concern is for the victims and ensuring they have the necessary support during this difficult time.

“These attacks underscore the urgent need for hate crime legislation to be enacted without further delay. We’re calling on Minister for Justice, Helen McEntee, to stop delaying and to take decisive action to ensure the safety and rights of all citizens,” he concluded.

Paula Fagan, CEO of LGBT Ireland, similarly responded, saying: “Firstly, I want to express our deep concern at the horrific incidents that took place on Monday evening. We’ve been supporting some of the men who were targeted, they were terrified, and are deeply shaken by what happened.

“The lack of response from the Gardaí, to these very serious incidents, has made this worse and we have been engaging with senior Gardaí in the National Diversity Unit and Blandardstown Garda Station since Monday night to get answers as to why Garda (weren’t) deployed immediately and an investigation instigated as soon as the complaints were made.