LONDON (DPA) - British police released five suspects on bail following an attack on a lesbian couple on a London bus which threw a spotlight on homophobia in the country.

Scotland Yard said late on Saturday (June 8) that the suspects aged 15 to 18 will have to report back to police in early July.

One of the victims published a picture of herself and her girlfriend on Facebook after the May 30 incident. The image of their blood-smeared faces caused horror and uproar in Britain.

The suspects are accused of insulting the women, who came from the United States and Uruguay, with homophobic slurs and then attacking them. The alleged perpetrators are accused of bodily harm and theft - they had also taken a bag and a mobile phone from the two women.

Prime Minister Theresa May and London's Mayor Sadiq Khan strongly condemned the attack.

According to police statistics, the reported homophobic attacks in the British capital have increased significantly: The number of cases rose from 1,488 in 2014 to 2,308 last year.