BY NATASHA BARSOTTI – The Edmonton Journal reports that police are investigating an attack on a University of Alberta student as a possible hate crime. 
According to the Journal, Chevi Rabbit was walking near campus July 19 when three men in a car pulled up and allegedly started yelling homophobic slurs at him.
One of the men allegedly got out of the car and pinned the student to the ground in a headlock. Rabbit was cut on his hand, sustained bruises to his knees, and was robbed of his iPhone.
Several people rushed to Rabbit’s assistance, and the men fled in a silver Acura with a spoiler, the report notes.
Detectives with the hate-crimes unit say they are investigating the assault because Rabbit was “targeted due to his sexual orientation.”
This was the second time in a week that the men aimed homophobic slurs at him, Rabbit alleged.
Rabbit told the Journal, “I’m openly gay. I don’t go around pronouncing it, but I’m very feminine. I’m a regular gay guy, but I’ve never had a problem in Edmonton. It was just so publicly done and in a heavily populated area.”
There have been no arrests so far.
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