sunflower lanyard - helpful?

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That could turn out really bad for the perp depending on who exactly they get.

That's what I've seen too. Makes sense that the cabin staff would have to be competent, as it's a matter of life and death to keep everybody calm and orderly on a flying plane. The only time I divulged ASD at an airport, they asked me if I wanted a wheelchair (I said no of course), then told me to wait around till somebody could escort me to my gate, which I really didn't need. I'd arrived very early to give myself plenty of time to find the gate, and was confident of being able to get there on my own, having done it before, but I ended up hanging around in a small area because they told me to, and I nearly went through a one-way door as I walked around to relieve the boredom and get a bit of exercise before being cooped up on a long transatlantic flight. It was as if they just guessed their way through it, intervening needlessly in a somewhat authoritarian way, rather than taking the trouble to find out how they could actually help. Since then I've not told them about my condition.

If memory serves, in the news reports I've read, the perpetrator seemed to know what it was, therefore such an attack is likely to be considered a 'hate crime' here in England.

Yes, to those who haven't heard of them, the sunflower lanyards are recognised at several airports in the UK, northern Europe, Australia and the US. Also a few supermarkets in the UK I believe.
This idea is that staff in the airport will know you have an invisible disability when they see you wearing one, and may be more understanding when you need assistance.

Oh now I see there was a previous thread about them, with a link in there if anyone is interested to know more:
viewtopic.php?f=3&t=390301

Ah, it's a 2020 thing. My bad experience was around 2016, so maybe they've improved after their abysmal start.
EDIT: I see I posted on that thread, telling the same anecdote as I told here. I'd completely forgotten writing that post. I guess the new information (to me) is that the airports seem to know what they are. I suppose, then, that it might logically be worth another go if I ever get to do another transatlantic flight, but one bitten.........it would be reassuring to hear that Heathrow and Memphis know what they are and actually give the kind of help I'd need, e.g. clear explanations, free priority boarding, careful listening, and respect for my wish to do things more my own way (within civilised limits).

I'm not worried about the legal ramifications, I'm worried that they might pick someone with significant anger issues related to mental health struggles and find themselves on the receiving end of a relentless and life-altering beatdown.

Not everyone who's disabled is incapable of putting someone in the hospital and there's a probably a place where if you do a Venn diagram 'disabled', 'struggles with emotional regulation' and 'capable of overpowering an average person' overlap.

That's not a good person to target as vulnerable, they've spent their life being picked on.