Chico Police are investigating an assault that happened over the weekend as a possible hate crime.
It happened outside a fast food restaurant after a drag show at the Maltese Bar and Tap Room on Friday Night.
Two of the performers, who were still dressed in drag, and a friend, were in A Jack in the Box in Downtown Chico when a group of men started using anti-gay slurs.
The three victims said they tried to ignore the insults but the men waited for them outside.
"We did what we always do and that's walk away and try to ignore it like it's not happening," said one of the victims, Matt Cottrell. "When we went outside it became impossible to do that. There was a huge crowd of people and they were throwing hate like water balloons. It was really too much to stand for."
While arguing with the men outside, one of the three, Brian Denham, was sucker punched then kicked in the head after he fell to the ground.
Denhem ended up with a fracture above his right eye and a bad gash to his forehead but no permanent damage.
Denham and his friends said this isn't the first time they've dealt with hate in Chico.
"Stop picking on people," said Denham. "People are starting to get sick of it. Obviously some people are going to stand up against it. I'm really tired of it."
Police are still investigating the incident and haven't yet made any arrests.
