Hate Crime? Group Of Thugs Grope Woman Then Beat Up Her Boyfriend In Springfield, MO. *Story Updated* [Video]

Video After The Jump

*Story updated with additional video, photos and quotes*

Meredith Cole and her boyfriend Alex Vessey had a hellish night when they were attacked by a group of thugs on August 22.

According to The Mirror, Vessey was DJing at the Outland Ballroom when Cole was groped outside by a group of men. When Cole told Vessey what happened they went outside to get a description of the men to give to police.

"It was embarrassing kind of, and weird and uncomfortable, it was really intimidating too," Cole told KY3, recalling the sexual assault. "It was scary I guess is what I'm trying to say."

The couple can be seen on surveillance footage walking when a group of six men attack them from behind. The assault was focused primarily on Vessey, but when Cole tried to stop the beating she was knocked to the ground twice, suffering a fractured ankle and swollen face.

Vessey attempts to fight back as he is repeatedly punched and kicked. He was simply outnumbered and unable to effectively defend himself. He suffered bruises and swelling. Amazingly, he wasn't knocked out and was able to point two police officers in the direction of his attackers after they ran off.

“It was brutal. I don't even remember how it all happened, I hit somebody with my shoe and it was crazy.” Cole said.

Some are calling this a hate crime because the victims were white and the assailants were black, but Cole told KY3 that it had more to do with the sexual assault than anything else.

"It was about the fact that they sexually assaulted me, it wasn't about the fact that we're white and they were black," says Cole. "I was livid, because I could hardly take care of my kid for like a week. Because with a messed up foot you can't chase a 16 month old around,"