Police have charged a second man in relation to the bashing of transgender woman Stephanie McCarthy, bassist for Sydney band Love Maul, at Newtown’s The Town Hall Hotel on Friday night, 5th June.
Police executed a search warrant at a Balmain home yesterday, Friday 12th June, seizing clothing and other items, including “a small quantity of cannabis”. They arrested a 22-year-old man who has been charged with recklessly inflicting grievous bodily harm, assault occasioning actual bodily harm, affray and possessing a prohibited drug.
He is the second person to be arrested and charged in relation to the bashing of bashing of the 43-year-old McCarthy, as she was waiting to perform with her band at Newtown’s The Town Hall Hotel. Earlier this week, police arrested and charged a 23-year-old man in relation to this matter.
Both men will appear before Newtown Local Court on Thursday 9th July 2015.
McCarthy claimed that the incident was an act of transphobia, committed by a group of men at the hotel who had been following her around all night. After the incident, in which she alleges the men pulled her hair and repeatedly punched her in the face, she shared a picture of her bruises and injuries.
She also said Sydney’s lockout laws had contributed to the rise of violence and hate-related assults on the streets of Newtown, which is outside of the lockout zones.
“There are people who are going out here on a Friday or Saturday night that would have never, ever come to Newtown previously,” McCarthy said. “I’m one in a long line of people who’ve been assaulted of late. Everyone has been a target – transgender, gay, lesbian – people who look different. I’ve heard of punks getting assaulted, goths getting assaulted – it’s insane.”
Police investigations into the matter are continuing, and officers are still urging anyone who might have information about the incident to contact Crime Stoppers.
The incident has sparked a massive outcry from the citizens of Newtown, who took to the streets shortly after the incident to voice their support for McCarthy and the trans community, and protest against violence and transphobia.
Watch: Protest Against Violence And Transphobia Outside Town Hall Hotel, Newtown
https://youtu.be/2iocIC3JK54
