Two Held Following Assault of Three Visiting Men to Gay Sports Event in Copenhagen

COPENHAGEN, July 26, 2009  –  Police are treating assaults on three foreign men in the city centre last night as ‘hate crimes’.

Two men were detained by police in the early hours of this morning following assaults on three men – from England, Norway and Sweden – who are visiting Copenhagen for World Outgames, Berlingske Tidende is reporting today.

The three assaults are reported to have taken place in the Vester Voldgade and Studiestræde area of the city – the main area for Copenhagen’s gay bars.  The three were allegedly punched and kicked.

Police detained two men, aged 28 and 33, soon after the assaults, which left the three victims needing hospital treatment.  None of the three were seriously hurt.

According to Berlingske Tidende, the two men detained will face possible ‘mild violence’ charges under Article 241 of the criminal code.

It was still unclear on Sunday morning whether the two would be brought before a judge for a possible request for them to be held in custody.

■ 18:30 UPDATE:  reports from Copenhagen say that the two un-named attackers are to be held in custody until August 4, two days after the World Outgames close.  A judge ruled that releasing them would "affront the public's sense of justice", the Danish media is reporting.

Thanks to Andrejs Visockis for the translation from Danish.