IT is more than a year since an unprovoked attack in the city centre left an anti-war protester permanently disabled but still no-one has been charged.
Pacifist Cliff Hanley – who has campaigned for political causes around the globe – was assaulted on Good Friday, 2011.
The 63-year-old was peacefully handing out flyers on St Augustine's Parade, alongside fellow activist Richard Davoli, when a heavily built man came out of the Drawbridge pub and started punching the pair in their chests. After a few minutes, the attacker and a friend went away, only to return again.
Another hard punch sent Mr Hanley backwards, tumbling over a walled bed of plants opposite The Hippodrome theatre.
The artist hit his head on the way down. He went to Bristol Royal Infirmary for treatment before being discharged later that evening. But the attack had aggravated a brain haemorrhage Mr Hanley suffered when he was 36, causing a bleed in his brain. He has lost most vision in his left eye and all feeling on his left side.
Speaking from his home in Southville, Mr Hanley told the Post: "If this guy was jailed, unfortunately it wouldn't make any difference to the physical problems I now have. I suffered a loss of brain cells and you don't get those back."
Mr Hanley has found it difficult to do his art and the loss of mobility in his left arm and leg has prevented him from rock climbing and dancing - pastimes he loved before.
He added: "You need a clear head to do anything creative and the haemorrhage has effectively made me prematurely senile. I find it difficult to think clearly – it's like having a heavy cold permanently."
But he can remember the attack that happened at about 6pm on April 22 last year.
"This fat bloke came storming out of the pub and across the road with a complete disregard for the traffic," Mr Hanley recalled. "He started rabbit punching my friend and when I tried to talk to him he started rabbit punching me. He had a problem with us carrying out a vigil about the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Another man came out of the pub, who was a bit more capable of conversation.
"They left but when they came back the second time the heavy guy said to me: 'although you don't like the war, do you support our lads?
"I said 'I don't support what they do, but...' and before I could explain the 'but' he punched me in the chest again and I went over the wall."
The attacker was white skinned, had a blond crew cut, was about 5ft 6ins-5ft 8ins tall, with a large tattoo on his upper left arm. He was wearing a lilac polo shirt with a bright logo on the front and had long baggy jeans and trainers without socks.
A man was arrested on suspicion of the attack on Mr Hanley and questioned by Avon and Somerset police, but was released without charge.
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