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The incident, which took place last year on October 16, has only come to light after Dutch authorities released CCTV footage and amateur photographs in an attempt to apprehend the culprits. The couple, aged 55 and 51, had been to a party with friends in the north of Amsterdam and were travelling on their scooter after taking a ferry back to the city centre at 1.52am. A group of three men, travelling on two scooters, also took the same ferry and proceeded to start hurling insults and harass the couple, according to eye witnesses.

CEN The gang are captured on CCTV footage

It is believed they were targeted because of their sexual orientation. The situation then deteriorated when the ferry docked at Amsterdam Central Station before the couple could flee the pier. The gang cut off the couple from leaving on their scoter and proceeded to punch and kick the victims.

CEN The gang launched a brutal attack on a gay couple

Dutch firebrand politician Geert Wilders Wed, February 8, 2017 Known as the 'Dutch Donald Trump' Play slideshow AFP/Getty Images 1 of 13 Originally from Venlo in the south-eastern Netherlands, Mr Wilders moved to Israel in 1981 after graduating from secondary school.

Amsterdam police said that some of the footage had been cut out before being released as it was said to be “too violent to show”. One of the men was then dragged further away and was singled out for a further beating, leaving him unconscious, reports said. Three students who happened to be driving by managed to intervene and chase the perpetrators away, who were still kicking and beating the man as he lay unconscious on the ground.

CEN One of the men suffered several wounds to the head

The trio then ran off shouting obscene comments and making gestures. One of the victims said: "We were kicked from all sides. It all happened so suddenly. The first kick and I was knocked out. “My partner was already on the ground. He got a knee, some kicks and some hits into his face. One side of his face was completely torn open from the top of his head until his chin."

CEN CCTV and amateur photographs captured the men on scooters

The police released both CCTV footage and pictures shot by the students who helped, in the hope that someone will come forward with further evidence. Amsterdam has had to cope with an increased level of violence targeting homosexuals throughout the city in recent times. In 2008, 54 cases of physical violence motivated by gay-hatred were reported in the city. In 2013, the number had already risen to 189 cases according to local daily 'Parool', with numbers remaining around that level ever since.

CEN Police have appealed for witnesses to come forward