A man brutally attacked and injured two lesbian women on a streetcar in Bremen on Friday evening. Police said on Saturday that the assault appears to have been sparked by the women’s sexual orientation. Emergency responders were able to detain the suspect at the scene.
The two women, aged 18 and 19, had boarded the Line 8 streetcar shortly after 11 p.m. at the Haferkamp stop and were heading toward the main train station. As they kissed, the 25-year-old man approached them and directed queer‑phobic insults at them. This led to a heated exchange, during which the man suddenly punched the women in the face. When the 18-year-old collapsed unconscious to the ground, the attacker kicked her in the abdomen. Both women had to be treated at a hospital on an outpatient basis.
Taskforce officers, who were deployed primarily around the station area, noticed the incident, halted the train, and arrested the suspect. The 25-year-old man from Romania was taken to the station for further processing. The criminal police are now investigating him for allegedly grievous bodily harm. The state protection unit, which handles hate-crime cases, has taken over the ongoing investigations. (cw)
Update December 9: Suspect committed to psychiatric hospital
According to “buten un binnen,” the 25-year-old suspect has since been placed in a psychiatric hospital. No further details about his health condition are available at this time.
