BOSTON (CBS) – Three women are facing charges over an attack on a man at the Forest Hills MBTA station. The victim says the women beat him up because he is gay.

Lydia Sanford of Boston, Erica Stroud of Dorchester, and Felicia Stroud of West Roxbury all appeared in court Friday.

They are accused of yelling homophobic insults and repeatedly beating and kicking a man. That man suffered a broken nose and several cuts and bruises.

The women are accused of assault and battery and civil rights violations. But their three defense lawyers claim the victim actually started the altercation by purposely bumping into the three women, and yelling racial slurs at them.

WBZ-TV’s Paul Burton reports

“Whatever it is, there was a fight. Somebody got hurt. Whether it was assault and battery or it was not assault and battery, I don’t know. That’s up to a jury. But I don’t think it’s a hate crime,” said C. Harold Krasnow, one of the women’s lawyers.

All three pleaded not guilty to the charges.

Read: The Police Report (.pdf)

Prosecutors said additional charges of Assault and Battery with a Dangerous Weapon (a shod foot) are also expected to be filed.

WBZ NewsRadio 1030′s Doug Cope reports

In the meantime, the three women were released on bail and have been told to stay away from the victim.