A father has spoken out following a horrific assault on his non-binary child in a park after school, which was captured on video. The distressing footage, reportedly circulated on TikTok, shows the 12-year-old victim surrounded by a group of approximately 15 other children. The victim, who prefers to remain anonymous, identifies as non-binary.
During the attack, the victim was subjected to a barrage of slurs, while the perpetrators could be heard cheering and encouraging the violence. The incident occurred in Chorlton Park, near Old Trafford, and the video has come to the attention of Greater Manchester Police, who are currently investigating the matter.
According to the victim, the confrontation began when the group, reportedly from another high school, demanded that the victim and their friend vacate the swings in the park. The situation escalated when one person allegedly kicked the victim in the back of their right knee, causing them to fall. Subsequently, another individual started pushing and shoving them. The violence intensified when the group learned that the victim identified as non-binary.
Expressing his anguish, the victim’s father stated, “I am absolutely distraught and disgusted with what I’ve seen. What makes it worse is my child is on the floor not moving as they are kicking them. The videos have been circulating, and my child’s phone is constantly receiving messages from people expressing disbelief, but now they fear returning to school because of this incident.”
The footage reveals a girl grabbing the victim, swinging them to the ground, and striking them on the head. The victim, being the smallest in the group, found themselves outnumbered and facing a mob.
Thankfully, bystanders eventually intervened, and the victim was taken to a nearby school. Later, they received a medical evaluation at a hospital, which revealed bruising on their head and neck.
“I am concerned for their safety. It is distressing to see 12- and 13-year-olds behaving in this manner and thinking they can evade accountability. The violence escalated when another student learned that my child identifies as non-binary,” the father expressed with worry.
He added, “It is utterly disgusting, and I have only seen a seven-second clip. I was horrified when I watched it. They behaved like animals.”
