A vicious assault following Newry Pride has left several people in shock with two people requiring hospital treatment and a third person injured.

The assault took place on Margaret Street in the city centre on Sunday, September 4 as a group of five people were returning home from a Newry Pride event in the city.

Padraig Lynch ( pictured above), a long standing member of Newry Rainbow Community who organise Newry Pride sustained a deep cut to his face requiring stitches to the side of his head and lacerations on his nose.

Padraig’s partner Damian McKevitt, Secretary of the Newry Rainbow Community who was present during the assault said: “It was just a completely unprovoked and very obvious homophobic attack.

“One other person was hit in the face and suffered lacerations, another girl in the party was knocked to the ground,”

The PSNI said they are “aware of an altercation in the vicinity of the Mall in Newry” at around 2.38am on Sunday and are investigating.

“We take all reports seriously,” he said. “Where complaints are made to police they will be fully and appropriately dealt with.”

Politicians including Sinn Féin MLA Megan Fearon and Alliance MLA Paula Bradshaw have condemned the attack.