Earlier this term Redbrick reported that on Saturday September 24th a UoB medical student said he was threatened at the 2022 Birmingham Pride. Raphael claimed a man threatened him by raising his arms as if he were about to punch him. Raphael also said the man shouted abuse at him. Raphael shared a video on social media of the man harassing him.

Raphael was critical of police at the time, saying they did not arrive promptly despite telling him they were close by, and did not take the video Raphael provided. Instead, they took a photo of the man from the video. 

Redbrick has since interviewed Raphael who has further criticised the police response. When the first article was written Redbrick reached out to the West Midlands police for comment, but they told the paper the case was closed. Raphael said that this was the first time he had been told the investigation had been closed. Raphael claimed that after discovering this, he called the police and was told they had called him 3 times. He says that despite this, his call log was empty. Raphael was later told that the case was being reopened, and on October 5th he claims the police told him there was no evidence, and the case had been closed.

In an attempt to seek clarity on the case and its progress Raphael said he called 101 to try and get in contact with those in charge of the investigation. He claims he was put through to the wrong number, one for someone who deals with detainees, twice. Additionally, the second time this happened, the person he was being put through to took it upon themselves to try to put him through to the correct people rather than him going through 101 again. However, Raphael claims this revealed that there was an issue with the extension for the person he needed to contact, and he was again redirected to the number of the person looking after detainees. Raphael said of this experience: ‘It gave me cause for concern over their organisation’.

Raphael tweeted on October 5th that the police ‘have been continuously failing trying to investigate this and communicate with me. How are they supposed to keep queer people in Birmingham safe if they do this?’ Raphael claims that after tweeting this, West Midlands Corporate Communications got in contact with him and told him he would be hearing from the police. The next day he had a long discussion with the case’s sergeant and was asked to send the video and details for the witness. Raphael claims the police were able to speak to the witness and take their statement that day. The day after, Raphael was asked to give a statement. During this conversation he claims the police tried to call him but were unable to and eventually he had to call them.

Raphael claims he discovered the reason that they were struggling to call him, in this instance, and when they were trying to inform him of the case’s closure earlier. They had his number written down wrong. He told Redbrick the call took place on October 7th and he has heard nothing since. Raphael, a medical student, complained about having to chase up issues with the police stating: ‘I don’t have time to be chasing what the police are doing.’ In addition, Raphael said ‘It is very worrying to see a police force not being able to do this.’

Redbrick reached out to West Midlands police for comment and they said: ‘We continue to investigate after a man suffered homophobic abuse and was threatened during this year’s Pride festival in Birmingham. We have taken statements from the victim and a witness, and have carried out CCTV enquiries. We continue to examine mobile phone footage of the incident. West Midlands Police will never accept or tolerate attacks on anyone simply for being who they are.

Anyone with further information can contact us via Live Chat on our website quoting 20/828812/22.’

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