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A young woman was allegedly punched in the face by a stranger while walking home after seeing ‘hardcore’ bands at a NSW hotel.
The 21-year-old was with friends on Maitland Rd in Newcastle’s Islington after 11pm on March 8 when an unknown man punched her in the head, NSW Police allege.
Police said a fight then broke out and the girl’s 20-year-old friend was also beaten and injured before the attacker and his companions fled.
Paramedics were called to the scene and both women were treated at the hospital, police said.
The woman was in a group of four who had earlier been to see Melbourne-based hardcore outfit AWOL, supported by bands Mauler and Skorn, at The Newcastle Hotel.
They had just left the show and were walking back to Hamilton train station when the apparently unprovoked attack was launched.
The group had left the Newcastle Hotel also known as ‘The Newy’ when they were allegedly attacked by a group they did not know
They were on site watching hardcore bands including AWOL visiting from Melbourne
Police confirmed they are investigating a ‘fight’ at Islington.
A friend of the two women disagreed that it was a fight, saying the altercation was sparked after the unknown group made homophobic comments to the group who had just left the show.
‘When the younger group commented back, the aggressors immediately threw a punch, followed by a larger assault,’ they claimed.
‘It is absurd that young girls, boys and others in the LGBT community have to worry about facing death when they have a night out. This was a hate crime, they said.
It is understood both of the injured women were known to the local bands playing on the night.
One woman took to social media and said the wider Newcastle live music community is up in arms over the seemingly random alleged attack.
The Newcastle music scene is furious over rumors of the alleged attack, a woman said
“At approximately 11.10pm on Friday 8 March 2024, a group of four people were walking along Maitland Road when a man from an unknown group allegedly punched a 21-year-old woman in the face,” a NSW Police spokesman said.
“The two groups were allegedly involved in a fight. The group of unknown persons had fled before the arrival of the police, the police said.
‘Two women aged 20 and 21 were treated by NSW Ambulance paramedics for head injuries and bruising. They were both taken to John Hunter Hospital for treatment.’
Anyone with information, CCTV or dashcam footage is urged to contact Crime Stoppers.