A dad has spoken out after his non-binary child was viciously attacked in a park after school on Tuesday (May 23). The incident, which has been filmed and circulated, showed the victim, aged 12, surrounded by a 'mob' of around 15 other children.
The victim, who will remain anonymous, identifies as non-binary, and was allegedly called a series of slurs during the attack, as those involved were also heard screaming 'go on' as the student was pounced on.
Greater Manchester Police have said they are aware of the video, which was filmed in Chorlton Park, off Mauldeth Road, with enquiries still ongoing into the incident.
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The victim claimed that the incident first started when themselves and a friend were told to get off the swings at the park by a group of students from another high school.
They also claimed that one person 'kicked' them in the back of their right knee, causing them to fall over, when another began 'pushing and shoving' them and alleged that the violence escalated 'when they found out they were non-binary'.
Speaking to the Manchester Evening News, the child's dad said: "I am absolutely distraught and disgusted with what I've seen. What makes it worse is my child is on the floor not moving as they are kicking them.
"The videos have been circulating and my child's phone is pinging all the time with people saying they can't believe it's happened, but now they are fearing going back into school because of it.
"You can see a girl grab them and swing them around on to the floor and hitting them in the head. They were the smallest there and it was a mob against one."
The victim, who was eventually helped by passers-by and taken to a school nearby, was later assessed in hospital and has suffered bruising to their head and neck, their dad claims.
"I am worried about their safety. We've got 12 and 13 year olds behaving like this now and thinking they can get away with it. There was another pupil who told them they were non-binary and that's when it got worse, the violence escalated.
"It is just disgusting and I have only seen a 7-second clip. I watched it and was just horrified, they are like animals."
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