SICK: These two men were beaten in hate-crime attack near Madison Square Garden this morning.
The assault, which led to one of the men undergoing eye surgery at Bellevue Hospital, occurred just five days after a gay couple were beaten near the Garden following Sunday's New York Knick's game.
In this morning's incident, the victims, age 27 and 37 who live on the west side of Manhattan, were set upon by a pack of five to six individuals shortly before 5 a.m. near West 32d Street, after they tried to get into a billiard parlor.
When one of the suspects was asked if they were gay - and acknowledged they were - the violence began.
© R. Umar AbbasiOne of the suspects in the hate crime attack is seen in the back of a police car after his arrest today. The names of both suspects have not yet been released.
"They came after us and fought with us because we are homosexuals," one of the victims told cops.
Asllan Berisha, of West 95th Street, and Brian Ramirez, of Third Avenue, both 21 and of Manhattan, are charged with gang assault and assault as a hate crime and are awaiting arraignment in Manhttan Criminal Court.
A PAPD sergeant and two cops arrested the men; cops are checking surveillance videos in bid to locate other suspects.
© R. Umar AbbasiSecond suspect looks worse for wear, sporting a black eye as he is led away by cops.
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