Police have arrested and arraigned 24-year old University of Massachusetts Amherst student, Tony Brennan for assaulting a gay peer. The unidentified student was strolling near the school’s Stonewall House when Brennan alleged attacked him, resulting in a broken eye-socket, a concussion and other assorted scrapes. Of the beat down, Stonewall House director Brett-Genny Beemyn assured the public this is an isolated incident:
This is very serious, although it is important to point out that this was one incident… This is not a trend. This is one of the most LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender) friendly campuses in the country. People can walk and hold hands, kiss.
For their part, the school and police treated the episode very seriously. Deputy police chief Patrick Archibald said:
The campus community and the UMass Police take this type of incident seriously, and we called in additional staff to investigate and address this case in a prompt fashion.
In addition the charges against him, Brenna may face the school’s disciplinary committee. Which, really, he should. Although, we imagine that his education’s the least of his worries.
Ryan
I’m surprised this happened, but there really are crazy people everywhere. Massachusetts is a great state and it’s probably one of the safest in terms of gays and lesbians.
Hephaestion
I’d still feel safer holding hands with my boyfriend in Amherst than in any other place in the U.S. This just shows that the anti-gaycrap broadcast widely across American airwaves nonstop everyday is GOING to infect someone everywhere, even in the nicest of places.
David M
For fuck sake, STOP SAYING YOU’RE SURPRISED PEOPLE!!!
We’re humans with an incredible capacity for storing memory, not goldfish. I can’t figure out why gay people keep saying they’re surprised every time something dreadful happens to one of our own. Give up that expression and sentiment. It’s not at all helpful. It leaves us open for the same shit… “I just didn’t see it coming.”
Richard
Attacks and hate seem to be a daily story on Queerty. Perhaps Queerty could provide a link to tips for self-defense and awareness to help prevent attacks.
Paul Raposo
Here’s a good place to start:
http://www.pinkpistols.org/