Detectives are investigating a second assault at a gay cruising spot in south-east London, with fears more people may have been attacked in the area.
Erhan Barut, 52, spoke out after he was left bleeding from his face from being headbutted in a “terrifying” assault by three hooded men on Blackheath Common on January 12.
He told how he was approached by a man asking for a cigarette before another member of the group, who had a scarf covering his face, asked him if he was “cruising” in the area, known as Blackheath Dip.
Mr Barut said he replied with a question in a bid to divert their attention but was attacked “within a split second”.
He told the Standard: “I felt one of them headbutt me and I was thrown towards some thorn bushes.
“It was terrifying and I felt so intimidated. I ran without looking back. I was bleeding from my face and throat.”
He spoke out as police continue to hunt a gang who attacked a 36-year-old man on Vanbrugh Park Road on Sunday night. The victim was walking in the Blackheath Dip area when he was beaten and left unconscious in an “unprovoked and targeted” homophobic hate crime.
He was dragged across the ground by his hood while the gang used homophobic language and then stole his car keys and drove off in his white Peugeot 208, which contained his mobile phone and wallet.
Mr Barut said he saw the bloodied victim staggering away from the scene of Sunday’s attack at about 10.30pm.
“I saw this guy come from nowhere. He was totally disorientated, with blood dripping from him,” he said.
“The attackers were just a few yards away looking at what they had done.”
He added: “I have been left wondering about whether our rights as gay people will be protected.”
LGBT campaigners in the area said they had warned men to avoid Blackheath Dip because of the potential danger of being attacked there.
The Met said that police were not currently linking the two attacks. There have been no arrests.
