Charges over alleged attack

POLICE have charged a 32year-old man from Taroona over the alleged attack on a transgender teen in Hobart.

The man was charged with common assault over the alleged incident on Friday in Hobart’s Elizabeth Mall.

Police said the man and the alleged victim — 16-year-old Thalia Black — were not known to each other.

“Any violence in our community is unacceptable,” Tasmania Police said.

The man was bailed to appear in Hobart Magistrates Court on October 23.

Marriage equality advocates condemned the alleged attack. Tasmanians United for Marriage Equality spokeswoman Robin Banks said the alleged violence was “appalling”.

“If leaders fail to condemn this alleged attack … they increase the chances of similar attacks on LGBTI people in the future,” Tasmania’s former anti-discrimination commissioner said.

Susan Ditter, of Working It Out, said violence motivated by someone’s assumed sexual orientation or transgender or intersex status was “a horrific reality”.

“Abuse and assaults are a common experience for transgender, lesbian and gay people and their families,” she said.

Coalition for Marriage Tasmania did not cite the specific case but said alleged “violence is always to be condemned”.

“The Coalition for Marriage urges respectful behaviour in relation to the marriage-law postal survey,” coalition spokesman Ben Smith said.

Miss Black yesterday said she was usually very open about being trans but now felt intimidated in public.

“I don’t feel as safe as I used to,” she said.

Almost 24 hours earlier, former prime minister Tony Abbott was allegedly headbutted in the streets of Hobart by a man wearing a vote yes for marriage equality sticker.