A 22-year-old nurse has suffered a broken nose after an alleged racial assault at a gym in Corio, Geelong, late on Tuesday night.
Harmanpreet Singh said he was training at Planet Fitness about 11pm when three men confronted him inside the facility before allegedly waiting for him outside. He told 9News the group verbally abused him during his workout and later shouted racial slurs, including “Indian dog” and telling him to “go back to where you came from” and “get back on your f—ing boat”.
One of the men then allegedly head-butted him.
“He got really close to my face and then just got really back and hit his head on my nose,” Harmanpreet told 9News.
The impact caused heavy bleeding and a broken nose. He was taken to hospital by bystanders and is expected to undergo surgery.
Speaking about the incident, he said, “Nobody wants to hear it. Especially when you’re just minding your own business.”
The attackers reportedly fled the scene in a grey sedan shortly after the assault. A video of the confrontation, captured at the scene and shared on social media, shows one of the men using racial slurs.
Harmanpreet, who is of Indian origin and Sikh faith, said this was not the first time he had experienced racial abuse in Australia. He described the latest incident as deeply distressing.
“I try to keep myself strong, not care about such things, but it hurts,” he said.
He added that the attack has left him questioning whether he feels safe returning to the gym. “I don’t know if I am going to go back to the gym… I am not going to feel safe after this.”
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