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 My
neighbour, Mark, was assaulted on Friday night, as the two of us walked to the
Internet cafe in Manchester city centre.
It happened just after midnight as we passed Piccadilly railway station.
We saw three men walking towards us -- heavily built 'football hooligan' types.
As they got level with us, one lashed out with full force, punching Mark on his
cheek.
There was no warning, absolutely no provocation. Neither of us knew any of these
three men.
Mark didn't see it coming and, considering the force of the punch, it was amazing
he was still standing. An area of skin about an inch across had peeled from his
cheek -- maybe because the attacker was wearing a ring. Mark was shocked. We both
were...
I grabbed him and got the two of us off the pavement and onto the empty road,
to get us away from trouble. I looked back and the thug who had thrown the punch
(wearing an England football shirt) was all for coming after us for another go.
He would have done if his two friends hadn't held onto him to stop him.
Earlier in the day, I'd seen a Police van parked outside the rail station -- part
of added security measures following the attack in America, I guess. We walked
up there but, of course, there were no Police to be seen.
Ten minutes later we spotted a Police van, flagged it down and jumped in with
the cops, who were all in blue-grey jump suits -- some kind of rapid reaction/riot
force. Not unusual in Manchester these days.
We drove around, but too much time had passed and we couldn't see the three men
anywhere.
Manchester: tale of two cities.
The city is booming, with regenerated trendy areas such as The Northern Quarter
(below). However, crime seems to be out of control.
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I asked one of the cops whether it was particularly
that area of Manchester that is bad. He said 'no', it is right across the city
and, in his opinion, Manchester is now the most violent place in England. He added
that it definitely is if you take into account the size of the city.
This tough riot policeman added that he doesn't go out socialising in the city
centre, because there's too much violence!
'Was anything said to indicate that it was a homophobic attack,' asked the cop.
Nothing had been said, though Mark was wearing a T-shirt with a red ribbon image
on it. The Police are extremely sensitive and helpful these days and these guys
were no exception. However, there's virtually no chance of this man being caught.
I know at least a dozen people who have been robbed or attacked in the last three
years. One friend, Martin, was cut across the chest with a knife. Eighteen months
ago, I was robbed at knifepoint by two men, at 2pm in the afternoon.
Mark has previously been mugged. Someone has been shot dead on the street a couple
of hundred yards from my home, after a car chase.
Four months ago I walked out of the house and found
a pool of blood and a student who had been badly beaten by a group of men after
he had given them his wallet.
I waited with him until the ambulance arrived. Then
I walked up into the gay village and found the Police had dragged a dead body
out of the water on Canal Street. I was really freaked out that night!
A couple of weeks ago, one of my neighbours was beaten up by four men who used
a metal baseball bat. And so it continues...
I first came to Manchester 18 years ago but, much as I love this city, I feel
I don't want to be here anymore.
This is the daily reality of this wonderful, historic city, which the British
Tourist Authority is busy promoting as the location of Queer As Folk and a happening
place to be. But this increasing crime problem -- and much of it seems to be drug-related
-- is not being tackled effectively by the authorities.
What an awful week!
Footnote: the latest figures show that violent crime in the Manchester
area has fallen by 6%. But maybe because people have given up on reporting it?
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