It still happens

An Edmonton man will be sentenced on June 20 for an attack on a 22 year old man on his way to the city's LGBT pride celebrations.

Ryan MacKenzie was punched in the face and head by a man who yelled homophobic epithets at him during pride week events at Edmonton City Hall last summer.

MacKenzie was wearing a T-shirt that said "drama queen" and was described by a defense lawyer as being "flamboyantly dressed". The rest of his wardrobe that day consisted of white jeans, a fur-lined jacket, boots with two-inch heels and hoop earrings.

As he an two friends approached City Hall a group of people yelled out homophobic slurs. The group of young men then began following them.

MacKenzie said he and his friends ignored the slurs and kept walking but one of them caught up with him and attacked him.

Nineteen-year old Nicolas Demers has pleaded guilty to assault. When he was detained by a City Hall security officer Demers said that "there should be a law against dressing like that," and that MacKenzie deserved to be beaten.

MacKenzie says he is still haunted by memories of the attack.

"It's totally changed my life," he told the Edmonton Sun.

"It was like society was attacking me," he said. "That's how I viewed it."

Under Canada's hate crime law Demers could receive a longer sentence. That will be determined once a pre-sentence report is presented in court in June.