TV presenter and fashion designer Brendan Courtney was attacked in Dublin city on Thursday night in what he has described as a random attack.
It is the second time the Irish celebrity has been assaulted, having previously suffered from a homophobic attack in the capital in 2015.
Mr Courtney said the assault happened just after 9pm near Queen Street Bridge and Usher’s Quay.
He was crossing the road when three men jumped out of a car, with two of them then proceeding to attack him, “punching me to the ground”.
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According to Mr Courtney, the individuals kicked him in the head several times during the attack.
“I was on the ground and what I did feel was a boot to the side of my head, a boot to the back of my head and a boot right in my face,” he told RTÉ Radio 1’s Liveline.
“That’s hard. It’s indefensible. You can’t legislate against someone pulling up in a car, you can’t protect yourself against that.”
He said the men were in their mid to late 20s but he said he “didn’t really get a look at them”.
Asked if he believed the motivation was homophobia, he replied: “It sure was. It felt like it.
“I’m talking to you because it’s so important to remind people that this still happens. I believe they were out for the hunt. They were going out to lash someone out of it. I think they recognised me and I think that was perfect fodder,” he said.
“We have a very tolerant society ... but there’s definitely a rhetoric building; I can feel an anti-gay rhetoric building for sure. Language is coming back.”
Following the attack, Mr Courtney said he was “embarrassed” and “upset” on Friday morning but added: “I’m fine and stronger and bolder than ever now.”
Mr Courtney said he was suffering from a pain in the head the following morning and attended the hospital emergency department on Friday for a CAT scan. He is waiting on the results.
He commended the gardaí who he said were on the scene very quickly, and have contacted him since to check in on his wellbeing, and encourage him to be seen by a doctor.
A spokesman for the gardaí confirmed members of the force attended the scene of an assault shortly after 9.30pm on Thursday evening.
The male, aged in his 50s, did not require immediate medical attention, the spokesman said, adding that investigations are ongoing.
