‘Get back on your boat’: Young nurse’s nose broken after allegedly being racially abused and headbutted as he left Planet Fitness gym, Corio
A young nurse has recalled the terrifying moment he was allegedly confronted and assaulted by strangers in an apparent racist attack.
Harmanpreet Singh, 22, was leaving the Planet Fitness gym near Geelong, south-west of Melbourne late Tuesday night when he was confronted by three men he claimed had harassed him earlier during his workout.
Footage of the confrontation showed a man calling Mr Singh an ‘Indian dog’ and spitting in his direction.
‘You want to f***ing mouth off when there’s cameras? You want to mouth off, you Indian dog,’ the man said.
‘What about get back on your f***ing boat and go back to where you come from.’
He was also heard asking the two other men to ‘drag (Mr Singh) over to where there’s no cameras’.
‘You want me to f**k you up and get locked up?’ he said.
‘You’re not worth time, you’re not worth jail time.’
Harmanpreet Singh, 22, suffered a broken nose during an alleged assault
A man was captured hurling abuse at Mr Singh before the alleged assault. Daily Mail does not suggest that the man pictured was the alleged attacker
Mr Singh claimed he was then headbutted by one of the men before the trio departed in a grey car. The alleged assault was not filmed.
‘He got really close to my face and then just got really far back and hit his head on my nose. It just started bleeding straight away,’ he told Nine News.
‘They just wanted to attack. I wasn’t provoking anything. I was being calm and literally saying I don’t want to fight you guys.’
The footage ended with the man taking a photo of what he thinks is Mr Singh’s number plates, claiming he has ‘mates that will find your address’.
Mr Singh spent the night in hospital being treated for his injuries and remains traumatised by the alleged attack.
He was due to start a new job the next day at Footscray Hospital, which has been delayed by a week to recover from his injuries.
Mr Singh also fears that he will require surgery for his broken nose.
He added that it was not the first time he has been subjected to racial abuse since he arrived in Australia four years ago.
Mr Singh fears that he will need surgery for his broken nose
The nurse remains traumatised by the ordeal outside Planet Fitness in Corio
He is now thinking about changing gyms and moving from the area to avoid similar confrontations.
‘I try to keep myself strong and not care about these things but it hurts, just be kind to each other, there’s no need to be racist,’ Mr Singh said.
‘I don’t know if I’m going to go back to the gym or if I’m going to change my house. I’m not going to feel safe after this.’
Local mayor, Stretch Kontelj, said racism of any kind had ‘no place in Geelong or in Australia’.
‘We are a diverse and multicultural city built on respect, hard work and the principle that everyone deserves to feel safe and valued, regardless of their background,’ he told the Geelong Advertiser.
‘I trust that this matter will be reported to Victoria Police and that, if laws have been breached, the appropriate action will be taken.’
Victoria Police are investigating.
Anyone with information or footage of the incident is urged to contact Crime Stoppers.
