Gardaí have launched an investigation into an assault on two drag queens in Cork over the weekend.

Local drag queens Krystalqueer and Queen Lucina were recording a video on Oliver Plunkett Street when they were kicked by a man. Krystalqueer subsequently sustained an injury which caused her to bleed.

Gardaí have said they responded to an incident on Oliver Plunkett Street, which occurred at approximately 12:30am on Sunday, October 26.

Investigations into the incident are ongoing, a Garda spokesperson said.

After sharing footage of the assault on Instagram, the Cork drag queens received an outpouring of support from Ireland’s wider LGBTQ+ community, including Panti Bliss, Shane Daniel Byrne, Kevin Twomey, Victoria Secret and Regina George.

“We wanted a moment of real talk because we were just assaulted on the street after pulling off a really successful show and going to take some videos to promote our event last Thursday night,” Lucina said.

Krystal continued: “We were on Oliver Plunkett Street just filming a little reel when a guy came up behind us and started kicking us. He ran off. Then all of the other guys on the street started applauding him and cheering him on.”

Krystal then said she was hit in the face with a phone and said the “most sickening” element of the assault was that a number of people on the street applauded and laughed during the attack.

She later added that the incident served as a reminder of “how important” their work is.

“We’re going to keep enjoying ourselves and being very openly queer,” she said.

In a follow-up video, the pair said that they were “overwhelmed” by the support.

“Thank you all so much for your support, your comments, and your messages,” they wrote. “We are so grateful for every last one of you and promise we will get around to reading them all.”

Despite the assault, the pair will go ahead with their planned club night in Saints, Cork, on Thursday, October 30.