A homophobic attack outside a nightclub in which two men were stabbed has left the local community “alarmed and devastated”.
The victims, one aged in their 20s and the other in their 30s, were stood outside gay bar and nightclub the Two Brewers in Clapham High Street, south London, at about 10.15pm on Sunday when they were stabbed by a man.
They were treated in hospital and discharged.
Metropolitan Police officers are searching for the suspect in the attack, which they are treating as homophobic.
Drag Race UK star Baga Chipz, who works at the Two Brewers, has said she’s “shocked and angered”.
Baga Chipz told 5 News: “I’ve worked at the Two Brewers for 15 years, I perform there regularly, I performed there last week. I was supposed to be there when it happened, I do their Sundays all the time.
“I’m angry, but I’m also shocked, because these are our safe spaces, this is where LGBTQ+ people go to have fun, have a drink, let their hair down and you can’t even be safe.”
Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, labelled the attack “abhorrent”.
He added: “It’s a huge relief the victims of this appalling attack are out of hospital, and my thoughts remain with them and their loved ones.
“I have always been clear that there is no place for hate in London. I stand with LGBTQI+ Londoners and will do all I can to end hate crime in the capital.
“My team, along with the Met Police, are supporting and working closely with the LGBTQ+ Venues Forum and its members who will be invited to attend an urgent meeting later this week.”
Comedian Julian Clary posted on Twitter, now known as X: “Just awful. We cannot and will not go back to living in fear.”
Julia Smith, 26, who lives near the Two Brewers, told the PA news agency the stabbing was “really really alarming” and said the bar is “especially busy” every Sunday.
She said: “We were about to go to sleep, I live right above.
“I didn’t see the stabbing just the aftermath. I just thought, ‘what is going on?’
“The road was barricaded off and there were three ambulances, a lot of police vehicles, then this morning everything was gone.
I heard a police officer talking on his radio saying two people had been stabbed. It was obviously terrifying— Julia Smith, local resident
“I heard a police officer talking on his radio saying two people had been stabbed. It was obviously terrifying.
“The fact it’s being labelled as a homophobic attack, this is not OK. I’ve been in the bar many times, it’s a brilliant venue, the security is great too.
“It’s lively, brilliant, every single Sunday is especially busy, there’s people having a great time.
“The fact that someone came over and did such a disgusting thing is really, really alarming.”
Two men, who wished to remain anonymous, tried to get into the bar at 5pm but it was still closed. They said the stabbings would not put them off going there.
One of the men said: “I’ve not been to this pub for 23 years, I just said to him today let’s go but I didn’t know what had happened.
“I just thought (coming here) would make me feel a bit young again, it’s not going to put me off.”
The other man added: “It’s something from an era I hoped was gone, 20 years ago, you don’t think it’s going to happen now.
“But homophobic violence, misogynistic violence is on the rise again.
“The two lads are OK from what I’ve heard and that’s the main thing.”
A worker in a shop nearby, who did not want to be named, said: “It’s just devastating, like with everything that happens, it’s such a shame.
“We’re quite fortunate here as we service a lot of different parts of the community, different cultures, from people who have nothing to people who have everything, we get to speak to a whole range of people.
“It’s just really sad.
“We’re massive fans of the Two Brewers and everything they stand for.”
A spokesperson for the Two Brewers pub said security has been boosted in the wake of the stabbing.
Anyone with information can call police on 101 or tweet @MetCC and quote CAD 7198/13Aug, or to remain anonymous contact Crimestoppers on 0800 555111 or online.
