HOMOPHOBIC HOLIDAY HELL
Sunday left traumatised after being battered in Venice street
A SCOTS holidaymaker has told how they suffered a horrific homophobic beating in Venice.
Sunday Russell, 29, was attacked on a trip to the Italian city of canals with partner Martina Bressamutti, 28. The pair had met up with a female friend and another man at a bar in the Via Garibaldi area. But the man – who they hadn’t met before – became aggressive and hurled homophobic abuse at them. He was thrown out of the bar but then waited for Sunday and Martina to leave and followed them home. The couple managed to get to their holiday flat but the man kicked down the front door and attacked Sunday last weekend. Sunday, who works as a chef, said: “We had only just got in the door when he kicked it open.” Sunday was dragged outside and on to the street where the man pushed his victim on the ground face first. He then launched a savage attack, punching and kicking Sunday, who said: “My face was on the ground and he was hitting me and restraining me.
“He was being homophobic and transphobic and telling me he was going to kill me and kick my face in. It was so scary.”
Sunday’s partner Martina had managed to pull the man off them by the time carabinieri, Italian paramilitary police, arrived at the scene.
Sunday has been left with a “severe” metacarpal fracture in their right hand following the assault.
They said: “I couldn’t move my body after the attack, Martina has had to become a full-time carer for me.
“My body is still quite battered, I feel like I’ve been smacked by a bus.”
The “traumatised” couple have been left struggling to get over the horrifying incident, as they suffer from “daily” panic attacks.
Sunday said: “We’re completely traumatised. Every day, when we hear a noise or a door we’re having panic attacks. We’re going to try to get some sort of emergency counselling as we deal with the mental trauma of what has happened.
“He was foaming from the mouth, I’ve never seen someone act like that.”
The couple say the man involved has not faced charges and they have secured a lawyer in Venice to help with their case.
Sunday, who flew back to Scotland via Milan on February 16 with Martina, is set to undergo surgery on their hand.
The injury has left them unable to work and the recovery after surgery is set to take at least six months.
The couple, who had been hoping to make a permanent move to Venice, have set up a fundraiser amid mounting costs.
As well as legal fees, the funds will go towards paying the £600 medical bill incurred in Italy.
The Foreign Office has been contacted for comment.