Police investigate homophobic hate crime involving Chichester Festival Theatre actor after performance cancelled

Sussex Police have confirmed they are investigating a reported homophobic hate crime in Chichester, following an incident involving an actor from Chichester Festival Theatre which led to the cancellation of a performance.

Officers are investigating reports that a man walking through a car park behind East Street and Little London was subjected to homophobic abuse by three young men riding bicycles.

The incident happened at around 6pm on Tuesday 13 October and is being treated as a hate crime.

The police investigation follows an incident involving a cast member of Chichester Festival Theatre's production of A Midsummer Night's Dream, which resulted in Tuesday evening's performance being cancelled.

As previously reported by V2 Radio, theatregoers had already taken their seats and were waiting for the performance to begin when the theatre's Artistic Director, Justin Audibert, announced that the show could not go ahead.

Chichester Festival Theatre subsequently confirmed that an actor had been subjected to an abusive attack in the city centre earlier that evening.

In its original statement, the theatre said: "We were deeply shocked that a member of the company of A Midsummer Night’s Dream was the victim of an appallingly abusive attack, aggressively hounded and physically pursued through the centre of Chichester, in the early evening prior to the performance on Tuesday 13 October. The victim, company and staff were understandably extremely shaken by the incident and as a result, we took the decision to cancel the evening performance.

"Justin Audibert (Artistic Director) made an announcement to the audience and we were very grateful for their sympathy and understanding; the box office will be in touch with all ticket holders to arrange return visits or refunds.

"Since this matter will be in the hands of the police, we cannot go into further details at this time. Thankfully the cast member concerned is not physically injured; and with the goodwill and resolve of our outstanding company, performances will resume today until the end of the run on Saturday.

"We are profoundly sad and dismayed that such an atrocious thing has happened here in Chichester, and know that the vast majority of our fellow citizens will share our repugnance. We will do everything in our power to support the actor affected, and our companies, now and in the future."

The production of Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream, featuring comedian and satirist Munya Chawawa as Bottom, has been running at Chichester Festival Theatre since 18 September and is scheduled to continue until Saturday 17 October.

Sussex Police are now appealing for anyone who witnessed the incident or has information about the three young men on bicycles to come forward.

Anyone who has not already spoken to officers can report information through the Sussex Police website or call 101, quoting reference 47260238010.

The investigation comes during National Hate Crime Awareness Week, which runs from 10 to 17 October, with Sussex Police encouraging victims and witnesses of hate crime to report incidents.

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