Three men arrested in pair of alleged anti-gay attacks in New York City
Three men have been arrested in connection with a pair of alleged ant-gay attacks against gay men in New York City this past weekend.
In an incident at the famed Stonewall Inn - widely considered the birthplace of the gay rights movement when rioters clashed with police there in 1969 - a gay man was beaten when two assailants attempted to rob him in the restroom of the Greenwich Village bar around 2 a.m. Sunday morning.
Matthew Francis, 21, and Christopher Orlando, 17, both of Staten Island, will be charged with attempted robbery and assault as a hate crime.
On learning the establishment was a gay bar, Francis reportedly used an anti-gay slur and told the victim to get away from him, according assistant district attorney Kiran Singh said.
“I don’t like gay people. Don’t pee next to me,” Francis added, according to the prosecutor; the paid then demanded money before attacking the victim.
And in another incident, just before midnight Friday in the predominantly gay Chelsea neighborhood, a group of men were saying good-night and kissing and hugging each other good-bye when they were confronted by a group of several men who yelled anti-gay slurs at them.
According to police, Andrew Jackson, 20, and another unidentified man assaulted the men. Jackson allegedly hurled a metal garbage can into one victim’s head.
Jackson was arraigned over the weekend on hate crime assault and other charges. The other assailant is still at large.
The attacks come at a time when the LGBT community is mourning the deaths of more than 6 teens who committed suicide last month due to anti-gay bullying.
Source.
In an incident at the famed Stonewall Inn - widely considered the birthplace of the gay rights movement when rioters clashed with police there in 1969 - a gay man was beaten when two assailants attempted to rob him in the restroom of the Greenwich Village bar around 2 a.m. Sunday morning.
Matthew Francis, 21, and Christopher Orlando, 17, both of Staten Island, will be charged with attempted robbery and assault as a hate crime.
On learning the establishment was a gay bar, Francis reportedly used an anti-gay slur and told the victim to get away from him, according assistant district attorney Kiran Singh said.
“I don’t like gay people. Don’t pee next to me,” Francis added, according to the prosecutor; the paid then demanded money before attacking the victim.
And in another incident, just before midnight Friday in the predominantly gay Chelsea neighborhood, a group of men were saying good-night and kissing and hugging each other good-bye when they were confronted by a group of several men who yelled anti-gay slurs at them.
According to police, Andrew Jackson, 20, and another unidentified man assaulted the men. Jackson allegedly hurled a metal garbage can into one victim’s head.
Jackson was arraigned over the weekend on hate crime assault and other charges. The other assailant is still at large.
The attacks come at a time when the LGBT community is mourning the deaths of more than 6 teens who committed suicide last month due to anti-gay bullying.
Source.