A man in Windsor, Ont., has been charged with inciting hatred after two openly gay men were assaulted in the city's downtown.

Police said two men were waiting in line at Pizza Pizza on Ouellette Avenue around 2:30 a.m. Sunday after the bars closed.

They said a group of three men standing in front of the pair began making loud and disparaging remarks about the sexual orientation of the two men behind them.

After a number of derogatory comments were made, one of openly gay men told the loudest man in the other group that he should be ashamed of the way he was speaking, said police.

Sgt. Brett Corey said the accused then punched one gay man in the side of the head, knocking him to the ground, before turning on the man's friend and punching him in the nose.

The second man suffered a broken nose and broken cheek bone, which police said would require reconstructive surgery.

When restaurant employees called for police, the suspect ran away as an officer chased him on foot north along Ouellette Avenue.

The officer caught up with the man near Dieppe Park on the riverfront, where the suspect fought with the officer. He was eventually arrested after two other officers arrived on the scene.

Both injured men were taken to hospital, treated and released.

John Raymond Meloche, 27, of Amherstburg is charged with public incitement of hatred, assault causing bodily harm, assault, assaulting a police officer and resisting arrest.

2nd such incident this month

Windsor Police are also looking to speak with the other two men who were with the suspect at the Pizza Pizza.

The assault came just days after Chris Rabideau, a volunteer for Windsor Pride, was beaten in the lobby of his apartment building when two men allegedly tried to rob him.

Rabideau said the men targeted him because he is gay.

The two men accused in that case were charged with robbery, forcible confinement, assault causing bodily harm, and mischief.

Police did not pursue hate crime charges, because they alleged the motivation for the attack was robbery.