A 39-year-old man, Kaspian Oaken, sustained severe injuries, including a brain bleed, after being attacked in Barry, Wales, allegedly for wearing a rainbow-themed watch strap.
Kaspian was walking along Court Road on February 1 around 6 p.m. when a man in a grey hooded tracksuit approached him and, without warning, began punching him repeatedly. The unprovoked attack left Kaspian with skull fractures, a damaged eye socket, a brain bleed, and severe bruising that caused his face to swell to twice its normal size.
At the time of the attack, Kaspian was simply heading to the shops and listening to music. Reflecting on the ordeal, he said, “It was terrifying. He just came up to me and started hitting me in the face. After a few punches, I fell to the ground, and he ran off. I was covered in blood and barely able to move.”
Kaspian suspects the assault may have been a hate crime, possibly triggered by his LGBTQ+ Pride Apple Watch strap. Although it was dark and he cannot be certain, he believes the rainbow design might have drawn the attacker’s attention. Apple describes the strap as symbolizing “the strength and inclusivity of the LGBTQ+ community.”
After the attack, two passersby helped Kaspian home, but he collapsed and called 999. He was taken to A&E, where doctors treated his serious head injuries and monitored him for cognitive impairment caused by the brain bleed. “The injuries could have been life-threatening,” Kaspian said, adding that the mental scars linger just as deeply.
“I flinch whenever I see someone in a grey tracksuit. It’s scary to think that if this happened to me, it could happen to others too,” he said.
South Wales Police confirmed they are investigating the assault and described the suspect as a 6’1” white male wearing a grey tracksuit with a hood. They urged anyone with information to come forward.
