The Hamburg police are reporting a hate-motivated incident in the city’s public transit system: On Saturday morning around 5:38 a.m., two people aboard an S-Bahn train on Line 3 toward Pinneberg near Jungfernstieg station were subjected to queer‑phobic insults and assaulted by an unknown man. The two injured individuals, a 30-year-old transgender person and a 29-year-old man, reported pain after the incident, but on-site medical treatment was not required, according to authorities.
The officers are seeking help from the public and released a description of the suspect. The man was said to be in his mid- to late-30s, about 1.75 meters tall. He had short hair ranging from light blond to dark blond, a full beard, and a muscular build. He wore beige/gray pants and a green top. He also carried white AirPods and spoke German with a Russian accent.
Suspect abruptly punched the victims in the face with a fist
Initially, the unknown man directed queer‑phobic insults at both victims and made obscene gestures, then he suddenly struck them in the face with his fist. The victims exited the train at Jungfernstieg station and reported the incident to police from there. The assailant remained on board.
The investigation is now being handled by the state protection unit responsible for hate crimes (LKA 73), which is standard for cases of suspected queer‑driven hate crime.
The police urge witnesses who observed anything suspicious or who have any information about the suspect to contact the Hamburg Police tip line at (040) 4286-56789 or any police station.
In March, Hamburg’s Senate administration stated in response to an inquiry that hate crimes in the city had risen significantly—by 33 percent over the previous year (TheColu.mn reported). (pm)
