Image released by the Vancouver Police Department of two suspects in the assault of a gay Vancouver couple.Handout/ The Globe and Mail
Vancouver police have released photographs of two suspects in the assault of a gay Vancouver couple on Saturday night.
The photos, pulled from a security tape, show two young men walking down Taylor Street, just steps away from where David Holtzman and his partner Peter Regier were beaten up.
The couple found two men urinating on the door of their Keefer Street residence after returning from a concert. After Mr. Holtzman asked them to stop, the two men allegedly launched into a string of homophobic slurs while assaulting Mr. Regier and Mr. Holtzman.
Mr. Regier and Mr. Holtzman were both taken to hospital after the attack.
The photos were released at a Friday press conference with Vancouver police chief Jim Chu, Mayor Gregor Robertson and Mr. Holtzman.
Police are currently investigating the beatings as a hate crime, said Mr. Chu. He would not comment on any link between the assault and the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) event that was held at GM Place that same night.
Mr. Holtzman challenged the mayor to take the safety of the neighbourhood seriously during the two-year trial period that allows mixed-martial arts events in Vancouver.
Mayor Robertson said the city won't be making any changes to the trial period until the investigation is over.
"Right now we don't know if there is a direct connection until the investigation is complete," he said. "This is a two-year trial for UFC and we want to see how it goes, what positive and negative impacts it may have for the city."
The Vancouver police are having a meeting with residents who live around GM Place to discuss how policing of any future UFC events can be improved, said Mr. Chu.