BY NATASHA BARSOTTI — Days after a gay couple were attacked near Madison Square Garden, police have arrested two men in connection with another attack on two gay men in Manhattan. 
One of the men who was attacked underwent eye surgery, the New York Post reports.
According to the report, Asllan Berisha and Brian Ramirez, both 21 and of Manhattan, “are charged with gang assault and assault as a hate crime and are awaiting arraignment in Manhattan Criminal Court.” Police are also looking for three others in connection with the attack.
An ABC7 report says a group of men allegedly shouted gay slurs and beat the men after the latter were denied entry into an after-hours billiards club.
In a prior incident on May 5, a group of men, some wearing New York Knicks basketball jerseys and caps, allegedly assaulted Nick Porto and his partner, Kevin Atkins, as they walked arm-in-arm along Eighth Avenue at 34th Street. The couple were allegedly targeted with homophobic slurs. Porto, whose nose was broken in the attack, says he and Atkins were called faggots.
After police initially said it would be difficult to identify the alleged attackers, they released a photo of one of the suspects and then a video of the men they want to question.
Police say the attack is being investigated as a possible hate crime, DNAinfo noted.
Authorities are also investigating whether there is any connection between the two attacks.
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