Hunt for youths who forced teenager to apologise for being gay
Police are trying to track down two youths after a teenager was attacked on a train and forced to apologise for being gay.
The 19-year-old man was placed in a headlock and strangled until he eventually did what they said because he was struggling to breathe.
The incident occurred on a westbound Jubilee line train between West Ham and North Greenwich on October 21 at around 11.10am.
A man was abused, placed in a headlock and told to apologise for being gay in a homophobic assault on a Jubilee line train.
Do you recognise these people? We'd like to speak to them in connection with the incident.
Please text 61016 if you know them. https://t.co/Q8N1Cl67Ufpic.twitter.com/hYxAf0s0Ta-- BTP London (@BTPLondon) December 4, 2017
The victim and his friends were wearing fancy dress for an event they were attending when they were approached by the two youths who boarded at West Ham.
The two suspects verbally abused the victim for being gay and turned aggressive when they were challenged.
They forced him into a headlock, snatched his phone and threatened to stab him until he apologised for being gay.
Although they returned the phone, the two youths then got into a fight with the victim's friends in which a 25-year-old woman suffered bruising after being punched and pushed to the ground.
The victims left the train at North Greenwich.
The British Transport Police (BTP) released images of the two men on Monday and urged anyone who recognises them to come forward.
The BTP said in a statement: "Hate crime will not be tolerated by the British Transport Police. We believe everyone has the right to travel safely.
"We won't tolerate behaviour where someone is targeted because they are perceived to be different, or made to feel uncomfortable on their journey."
