Omaha police are investigating an incident which left one man with a gash in his forehead and two chipped teeth as a hate crime.

According to the Omaha World-Herald, Ryan Langenegger, a 22-year-old straight Marine, was attacked on Saturday for standing up for his gay friends.

Langenegger and friends Joshua Foo, 29, and 25-year-old Jacob Gellinger, who was dressed in drag following a performance at a nearby drag show, decided to leave an eatery in Omaha's Old Market neighbor to escape the leers of a man.

Langenegger said they were followed out of the restaurant by three men who started verbally harassing them.

Gellinger said, “I know I am a boy in a dress,” and the man who stared at him in the restaurant replied, “Yeah, and you're [expletive] disgusting,” according to Langenegger.

Langenegger told the men that he and his friends didn't want any trouble. One of the men punched him in the face, then, laughing, the three left.

Police said Thursday that they were investigating the incident as a hate crime.

“Hopefully more people realize this is a problem,” Langenegger told the paper. “People need to be more accepting of everyone.”

A rally to increase awareness is planned for Saturday. The Drag Out Hate! rally will feature a peaceful walk through the Old Market led by drag queens and kings.