MEDIA WATCH: Homophobic attack against Aziz Al-Sa’afin

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‘I thought I was going to die’: Kiwi reporter ‘bashed’ in homophobic attack

Kiwi Newshub reporter Aziz Al-Sa’afin was viciously beaten at the weekend in a homophobic attack which left him thinking he “was going to die”.

Speaking on The AM Show this morning, Al-Sa’afin described his night out with friends on K’ Road celebrating Pride Week. He said: “I thought it would be one of my safest places.”

They were approached by two or three men at the Mobil station who at first made polite conversation, and then “before I knew it, my friend was on the ground getting bashed… pulverised”.

“Then as I was walking towards him I got decked in my left eye. I got shoved back and I was still trying to make sense of the situation and as I was falling back I could just see my friend absolutely getting pulverised on the ground. Getting kicked in the stomach punched in the face. He was trying to protect (his head), he was in a fetal position,” he said.

This terrible act of homophobic violence against Aziz Al-Sa’afin was deeply moving this morning. I have noticed a rising sense of tension on the streets in Auckland after hours that I haven’t sensed since the 1990s.

There is an irrational anger haunting our public spaces and it’s ugly.

8 COMMENTS

  1. With people like the so called Bishop Brian Tamaki preaching hate into the ears of vunerable people more of these a tacks can be expected. He should not be allowed in any prison

  2. True@ Christine. On Sunday while driving to my yoga class in the Hokianga town of Kohukohu I was terrorized (and alone) on a country road by an aggressive male in a Mitzi Outlander he tailgated me for 15 km flashing his headlights and charging at me from time to time,but would not pass me when i slowed and pulled to the left he then charged at me and forced me over to the left at an old deserted quarry site and braked and parked in front of me and wouldn’t let me pass, He then abused me from the comfort of his front seat. Half baked toasted and fried. A country on meth gone mad!
    I locked my car wound down my window and abused him back. Dangerous frightening and a portent of the future for us aging boomers.

    • Same here Shona, in my little Starlet, tailgated by a FWD, headlights flashing, and me foolish enough to watch his anger in my rear vision mirror. I pulled off the motorway unintended, in a panic attack; got totally lost, was unfit to drive, but I had no other choice.

      I have to drive that route to visit a very sick rellie and 50% of the time I find it (dangerously) traumatising, but I know now not to look in my rear vision mirror if the male behind me looks maniacal.

  3. Continued.

    And the maniacal humanoids who beat up on gays, and use their cars as weapons, are fairly likely to be characters with small penises and/or erectile dysfunction issues, lost inside their own skins and idiotic enough to try and establish their identities by reverting to the more primitive characteristics of our neanderthal ancestors.

    Compulsive car cleaners may be much the same, dunno.

  4. C’mon Christine, small penises is not the issue! Heartthrob Brad Pitt says he has one.

    I know you’re questioning the manhood of these dangerous bullies. If they think you are a threat, good on you. Keep holding the line against the homophobics, the women haters and all those cowardly idiots, you’re impressive.

  5. No one deserves the violence meeted out here and it could have quite easily led to the death of one of these poor guys who were just going about their lawful business.
    The effect here will be traumatising and the worst thing is if you let it you find you are too afraid to go out.
    I hope they apprehend these mongrels before they kill someone for just being different.

    Kia kaha Aziz

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