Philadelphia police are thanking a few random good samaritans on Twitter this week for helping identify the gang of heterosexuals who shouted homophobic slurs while severely beating a gay couple in an unprovoked attack in Center City last Thursday.
We reported yesterday that two victims, 26 and 28-year-old boyfriends, were approached by a large group of “visibly intoxicated” and “well dressed” assailants while on their way to dinner last week. The victims and several witnesses told NBC Philadelphia that at least two men and six women from the group called the victims “dirty fags” before launching a disgusting physical attack on both.
Both victims were released from the hospital with multiple facial fractures, one had severe bruising on his face and will be required to have his jaw wired shut for two months.
The group of assailants miraculously got away but were caught on surveillance cameras nearby. Using that footage, a handful of random sleuths on Twitter last night were able to identify the group through tweets and Facebook check-ins because, well, did you really expect the police to do anything about it?
How about we take this to the next level?
Our newsletter is like a refreshing cocktail (or mocktail) of LGBTQ+ entertainment and pop culture, served up with a side of eye-candy.
Here’s the surveillance video released by the Philadelphia police:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KD8MglUjA50
Gawker has the full scoop:
A Twitter user named Greg Bennett posted a photo of a group posing at a restaurant who look an awful lot like some of the suspects in the video:
Philly hate crime: pic.twitter.com/i3PBprO9nn
— Greg Bennett (@GreggyBennett) September 17, 2014
Bennett tweeted that he’d gotten the photo from “a friend of a friend of a friend,” but didn’t know where it was taken. That’s where another Twitter user stepped in: FanSince09, a diehard Eagles fan who apparently lives in South Jersey. Fan retweeted the photo; almost immediately, he got a torrent of responses from people telling him the restaurant was La Viola, an Italian place in Center City. He tweeted that he ID’d most of the people in the photo by checking their Facebook check-ins:
@RealGlenMacnow found them all at la viola, some of them checked in on FB, compared FB pics
— FanSince09 (@FanSince09) September 17, 2014
If you're going to gay bash don't fill your FB profile with gay slurs and also delete that resturant check in from earlier
— FanSince09 (@FanSince09) September 17, 2014
Joseph Murray of the Philadelphia PD also tweeted a rough confirmation that the group in these photos is, in fact, Philadelphia’s “Intoxicated, Well Dressed” Gang Of Violent Heterosexuals.
This is how Twitter is supposed to work for cops. I will take a couple thousand Twitter detectives over any one real detective any day.
— Joseph Murray (@PPDJoeMurray) September 17, 2014
Here’s how Twitter user FanSince09 figured it out:
According to ABC 6, members of the group have already retained lawyers though no arrests have been made.
On a related note, openly gay Representative Brian Sims is now advocating for straight-bashing on Facebook:
You know, because fighting violence with violence is really the best way to handle this.
deltabadhand
This Philly boy is very glad they’ve been tracked down, hopefully they will be prosecuted and not get a slap on the wrist.
It’s odd, the first reports on this indicated that the women were more active in the assault than the men, but as above, so many of the amateur sleuths focused on identifying the guys. This story shows that many folks pre-conceived notions are wrong. Lots of people here in Philly assumed the perpetrators were black folks. And now you can observe folks assuming the women weren’t the aggressors.
Dakotahgeo
Thank God for surveillance cameras, may they multiply ten-fold in the USA! The more the better! When all else fails (including idiots who “don’t want to get involved,” it’s the cams that will do the job, including vest cams on ALL LEOs!
hephaestion
Every single person in that crowd needs to be charged with murder. They TRIED to KILL the gay men. They all need to be locked up for the rest of their lives.
DarkZephyr
How is Brian Sims advocating “straight bashing”? Sounds to me like he is focusing not on heterosexuals in general but this specific group of gay bashers. I hope they get exactly what’s coming to them but somehow I doubt they will. Especially the women,
Cam
Do you notice that they photos are singling out the men even though witnesses said that SIX women were part of the attack.
I hope this isn’t some situation where all of them men get a harsh penalty with prison time and the women aren’t charged, or are told they will have immunity if they testify against the men. They ALL need to be charged equally, none of this sexist B.S.
Desert Boy
It’s a shame but gay men still need to be armed when they go out at night. Even in a liberal city like Philadelphia. Had they gay couple who were beaten pulled out a gun, these heterosexual cretins would have run away screaming.
stranded
@Cam: I agree. Fuck this double standard. If these women were part of the attack or were just standing by and watching/cheering then they should be charged as depraved indifference or something.
Bauhaus
@Cam:
If you watch the video, you will clearly see the women. You’re right about the photos.
44 seconds: 2 women
56 seconds: 1woman
1:16: 3 women
I’m hoping one of them has video footage of the event. Now that they have identified the thugs, law enforcement can get a warrant to search their computers, homes, cars, and phones for any evidence of the crime.
Billy Budd
Ten years in jail would set an example.
AzLights
Glad to see these assholes get caught. Every one of them needs to do serious jail time for attempted murder. And that should be ALL of them–men and women alike.
jellybean
If you’re reading this, you need to post the link on your Facebook NOW! These people need to be arrested!!!
pressuredrop
@Desert Boy:
I figured, at some point, anti-gun control fanatics would jump onto this situation as a platform for their warped ideas on violence prevention.
onthemark
I guess “well-dressed” in Philly means shorts with a collar shirt?
IcarusD
@onthemark: I know, right? With the “well dressed” description in the first article, I was expecting a group of people returning from the opera. Turns out “well dressed” is code for not wearing a hoodie with your jeans halfway down to your knees.
Desert Boy
@pressuredrop: I am neither an “anti-gun control” person nor am I a “fanatic”. If you want to take your chances on neither being victimized by violent thugs, good for you. Blow your little whistle and hope your saviors will come along to save your behind.
VampDC
It’s still SHOCKING to me that in Pensilvania a group of TEN people (males and females) and not one of them had a problem being apart of this crime. I just can’t imagine that. Disgusting.
AtticusBennett
GOTCHA!
hey haters, your days are numbered.
Paco
So the fact they have retained lawyers without having been arrested yet must mean they are scrambling to get their story straight before turning themselves in. I have a bad feeling about the outcome of this for the two gay men these animals violently pummeled. I hope, this time, justice gets served.
pauleky
Sorry, I’m with Sims on this one. He’s an angry gay man who deserves to be angry. Time for this bullshit to stop. People like this will only fight when they have the numbers. He saying let them come back for a fair fight. The point being, they’re cowards and it would never happen.
Polaro
Significant injuries requiring hospitalization – felony. Hate motivated = hate crime kicker. Unless they have some magic, they will face some real jail time. It is Philly though. Corruption and incompetence runs rampant there. We’ll have to see.
yaletownman
Maybe it’s time for the gay community and their allies in Philly to make their expectations for justice well known and if justice isn’t served maybe we should all get on a plane and protest. Let’s see what happens.
Gigi Gee
The suspects were classmates at Archbishop Wood Catholic High School. They’ve yet to surrender themselves to authorities. The cops said if they don’t turn themselves in soon “they might have to go after them.”
cjas9298
Sims is did not suggest battering random heterosexuals folks (straight-bashing). To say that he did is not a very smart thing to write, and simply untrue.
Hermes
@IcarusD: er – I know many many young men who are straight and how might wear hoodies, and/or sag (have their pants half way to their knees) but would NEVER hurt a gay person, that have gay friends (and in some cases, ahem – teachers or professors) and are absolutely fine with us, whether they’ve been drinking or not. Maybe making fun of the way some people dress, rather than realizing that the problem is hatred, not clothing selection is not the most productive way to handle this. Feeling distaste for people because of their clothing is yet another method of creating them vs. us. Stop, please. Let me also note that I know several young gay men who sag and wear hoodies, and you know something else, they are STILL AND ALWAYS our brothers and sisters and children in spirit. Seriously, we should be the LAST community to ever engage in any form of division based on prejudice, about anything. We should know better – and we should demonstrate our knowledge in our lives.
Jim
Their names should be published so they can know what it feels like to be hunted.
Paco
@Gigi Gee: It must be nice to enjoy the privilege of turning oneself in, at their own convenience, after committing a violent crime that puts their victims in the hospital with serious injuries. Not encouraging.
Caine
@Gigi Gee: woah – i thought they were college students – you are saying they are HIGH SCHOOL students? that probably means they are minors
daarno324
This is yet another example why people, especially gay people, should have concealed carry gun permits. If more of these rotten street punks got shot when they attacked someone, they would think twice about their criminal behavior.
daarno324
Go to the Concealed Carry website to find some info about securing a gun carrying permit.
aaerobear
NO, he was saying they have been friends SINCE they were students at the high school mentioned.
davenbill
@hephaestion: Hate crime with attempted murder. These @sshole need to spend a little while in jail—I’m sure someone in there would be happy to make these guys their ‘bitches’; the whores with them need to have a few (well, line em up and take a number) people stomp and kick their scanky snatches—-it’s hard to tell which end is which since they usually have somebody’s dick stuck in it.
tripleaxel
Seriously, you’re now trying to defame PA Rep Brian Sims, a huge asset to the LGBT community, over a comment made that did not specify hetero bashing?! So, when Rep. Sims may have actually meant that justice will be served when the victims will see their attackers in a court of law, you’re alluding that he’s advocating violence? Grow up!
mcflyer54
Let’s see, we’ve got a group of “well dressed” middle class white Catholic early 20-somethings – now what do you think will be the results? Well, if you’ve guessed “insufficient evidence to prosecute”, even though there is video, probably pages of social media and most likely eye witnesses, you will probably be correct. I can only hope that the whole bunch are drunkenly celebrating their “victory” when their car careens off the side of a cliff.
davenbill
@Gigi Gee: Good old Catholic high school boys and girls; ie, rich little brats whose parents can afford to send them to private school. These animals are not minors as evidenced by their behavior and should be tried as adults to face the consequences of their actions. The parents will have to take responsibility for ‘their little darlings’—restitution for all bills (medical,dental and legal) for the couple; reimburse for all lost wages, pain and suffering; punitive damages. This doesn’t say much for the education and morals of a ‘Catholic’ high school–maybe the HS will do the right thing and expel these idiots—they could use some ‘education’ by the public school kids.
HereinDC
….Robbery. They also took their cell phones and other items….. So…..ROBBERY atop of HATE CRIMES.
Lots going on here….
IT’S…….GOING…..TO….GET……MESSY!
Cam
@HereinDC:
I wish I was as confident as you. I have this feeling that they will offer every woman who was there immunity if they testify against the men, then the women will testify that the guys were provoked.
Then the judge, probably a catholic who went to the same high school as the bashers will talk about what wonderful people they all were and it would be a shame to have their records ruined over one bad decision, and will offer them the option to have their records completely expunged if they go to one month of anger management class.
Then the judge will tell the gay guys that they shouldn’t have been provoking the group by holding hands.
WandaStewardess
Brian Sims *ABSOLUTELY* has the right idea. If they don’t turn themselves in, hunt them down and give them a good ole beat down right back at them. When will people ever learn that this “oh, don’t bully!” verbage is complete and utter shit. People will always do it. You have to fight back, you have to bully a bully. Clearly someone has their Facebook accounts since they saw their pictures and check in at this restaurant. Grow balls, share it with the rest of us, let the people do their work. End of story.
SteveDenver
I hope they are able to prosecute and convict these idiots.
They look like average yuppies. It’s amazing how a FELONY CONVICTION can cramp your career plans, real estate purchases, security clearances and school admissions.
Great thanks to the Twitter user Greg Bennett who helped track this down. His suggestion that the award money be used to help the victims only underscores what a great guy he is. That he likes Harry Potter and Mariah Carey, and is cute to boot, only makes him a total darling.
michael mellor
The alleged assailants look like a bunch of bimbos with their boyfriends.
jandrew79
@deltabadhand: From what I can tell; it is just harder to identify the women as they are mostly wearing little black dresses and their faces aren’t as clear in the video. I tried myself and couldn’t do it 100%. The white dress isn’t visible, nor the off the shoulder….I’m sure that we all want everyone involved to be punished…I mean I want their lives ruined personally…but the blaring evidence doesn’t pinpoint the ladies easily (so far)!
jean
@hephaestion: Attempted murder, but still a serious felony.
Paco
@deltabadhand: well one of the victims did say three guys began pummeling him. Not women. Maybe the women joined in once it started. We need more information, but I am going to go with what the victim has said about the initial attack upon him. I think they are all guilty since no one in the group helped the two victims.
jean
@VampDC: pack mentality. There is also the saying, all it takes for evil to flourish is for good people to do nothing.
jean
@Paco: I suspect the women were drunk and just did verbal assaults, which egged on the drunk men to start throwing punches. Threaten to charge the women with attempted murder and I’ll bet they’ll sing and name the actual punch throwers.
Amalgamate
The author is a bit of a deuche. Brian Sims was being facetious and he is RIGHTLY angry-two against ten? twelve? They deserve an ass-whooping! And teh police did a great job in reaching out to the community-dont bash them either. The author is so far left wing hes off the page…
Amalgamate
@IcarusD: – or well-dressed means wide shouldered, square shaped women in shorts and ill-fitting tops?
RevJames
Never been to Philly but it seems they sure have a different and interesting take on what “well dressed” means.
I guess fat white people in jeans, shorts, T’s and cheap WalMart dresses with appalling make up count.
SPDuffy
@hephaestion: Really? Murder? Demanding justice is certainly important, but it’s also important not to freak out and make outlandish demands. I expect that some of these folks will be charged with aggravated assault, others with simple assault. As a gay man myself, I’ll be happy with that result.
Ogre Magi
and it turns out they are all Catholic School alumni. Stands to reason doesn’t it
ocdj63
@SteveDenver: AND the only thing he hates is Pigeons. lol.
AshNYC
How have these people not been picked up and arrested. If they had been a group of ‘well dressed’– black/ Hispanic /middle eastern/ anything other than white— people, they would have been in cuffs before they’d even gotten a chance call to a lawyer. White Privilege, gotta love it!
Bauhaus
According to Action News, Philadelphia, the monsters are going in for questioning tonight.
Check this out:
While many are calling the incident a hate crime, Action News has learned that even after the suspects are caught, the Philadelphia District Attorney’s Office says the incident cannot be prosecuted as a hate crime.
That’s because sexual orientation is not on the list of hate crimes in Pennsylvania.
The state did pass a hate crime law in 2002 that covered the LGBT community but the Pennsylvania Supreme Court struck it down on a technicality.
Legislation was re-introduced in 2009 but failed to make it out of committee.
The case has outraged the community, and it ignited social media.
mezzacanadese
I am so glad that they found out who these cowards are. What they did was disgraceful, and they must be punished.
mezzacanadese
@Bauhaus: Pennsylvania needs to change its list of hate crimes to include sexual orientation.
Bauhaus
Here’s the Action News link:
http://6abc.com/news/up-to-12-suspects-sought-in-center-city-hate-crime/311158/
jar
@davenbill: They are not high school students. The dinner was a get together of former students from the school. Given the school they attended, most of them would not be rich, but certainly comfortable.
As for the women, one of the victims stated in an interview that even a girl attacked him, so at least one of them got physically involved. Other reports indicate that more than one woman was involved in the attack. I hope they all get the book thrown at them. The social media buzz will certainly make it difficult for the prosecutors to soft-peddle this and once their names are released, I would expect a firestorm of information about them going public.
rickhfx
We need to stop calling these acts a hate crime, it is TERRORISM , the str8 ba$tards send a message to all LGBT people that we are not safe anywhere, we are targets that can be attacked anywhere any time by str8 bigots ! It speaks volumes that so many str8 people feel that they can get away with these crimes because it is against LGBT people. As LGBT people we must not buy into the “tolerance trap” and falsely believe we are safe ,equal, respected, by our str8 comrades.. What our st8 “supporters” say to or face and in public is often very different then what they truly believe. To be tolerated is not to be equal. Its clear that even the young str8 generation are as bigoted and violent as their str8 parents.
We are not equal or safe, we are always at the mercy of str8 people.
Every day the news is filled with stories of str8 people and their propensity for violence.
davenbill
@jean: Drunk? these are supposed to be high school students. Parents obviously had no idea where they were, what their little sweethearts were doing (underage drinking for 1, if not other things), had not instilled any common decency or morals in their demon spawn—seems the parents did a poor job or just don’t give a damn in raising their kids. Of course, the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree, so the parents are likely just as much a bunch of dickwads as their kids.
LadyL
@rickhfx: I understand your anger and share it. You are absolutely right–gay bashings are acts of terrorism. And it is absolutely true that to be tolerated is not to be equal and we should never allow ourselves–or our straight allies for that matter–to forget that.
All that said, try to avoid the trap of seeing enemies everywhere and painting everyone with the same brush. Yes, young people can be every bit as violently bigoted as their parents. But times are changing so the reverse is also true; more and more people (especially younger people) support equal rights and equal protections as a matter of fairness, and are as repulsed and outraged by these kinds of attacks as we are. (They are also more likely than their parents to acknowledge they have gay family members, friends, and coworkers.)
tradskinhead808
Oh you silly Queerty Editor. Of course fighting back violence with violence is the way to go. Why wouldn’t it be? Who in here isn’t sick to death of turning the other cheek? Like that t-shirt saying goes (I’m) “Not Gay As In Happy, But Queer As In F*ck You”. So let them come back, cause I got a new pair of steel toe boots that need some breaking into.
Bob LaBlah
If these two guys are smart they have an attorney are going to sue. Rest assured if the daddy and mommie of ALL involved have money their attorneys will soon be working with the two victims to arrive at a number where all will be forgiven. That’s how it goes in America.
Jake357
Turn the other cheek enough times and you quickly run out of other cheeks to turn. Now that their identities are known, bad things just might happen to them. Some might call that vengeance; others might say it was a well-deserved comeuppance.
enlightenone
@daarno324: Gay-bashing doesn’t typically involve guns. Mixed-martial arts or KICKBOXING is more sensible, civilized, and can injure!
Merv
@davenbill: My understanding is that they were not high school students, but former high school classmates having an informal get together.
Bob LaBlah
@Jake357: If they are well to do (financially) this will have no effect on their careers. If daddy or mommy own the business or has the right connections all junior has to do is graduate and a job is waiting for him.
These people do not sound like well-to-do. There are people with money and an upper-class upbringing whom may not particularly care for the gay lifestyle but to attack gay people on the street in a drunken rage is generally not their style. That type of behavior is for entry level and below, which this bunch is sounding more like by the minute. They may have been well dressed and in an expensive restraunt but anyone can catch a good going out of business sale and pool their money together for a decent meal at a restraunt.
davegun2
Sorry everyone, I think Brian is just expressing ritious indignation. I’m also pissed off too. And I just may call for a little straight bashing to get the f*(&king world to pay attention too.
Leonard Woodrow
These ignorant and stupid louts must be detained and severely punished. They’re very big and confident when they outnumber their victims, but their “bravery” would disappear like snow in summer if the same happened to them. They should be shamed by anybody who knows them.
Sebizzar
Justice will be served! And yes, women can be just as hateful and violent, don’t be easier on them.
cflekken
Sorry, but yes, violence is the way to fight this violence. These assholes think that they can just beat up gays because gays can’t or won’t fight back. Fuck that. We need to show them that just because we’re gay doesn’t mean we are defenseless. That is why it’s so easy for them to hit gays, because they don’t fear retaliation. Well, I’ll give you some retaliation, right in your fucking jaw.
vonric
as of Wednesday evening, several of the the gang have turned themselves in with their attorneys…. and the DA has announced that this cannot be treated as a hate crime because PA’s hate crime law does NOT cover crimes driven by a person’s sexual orientation.
TO make this whole mess worse, several of the individuals have said that the “gay guys started it” and swung the first punch, and that videos will substantiate that. Those videos have not been released…
so this cannot be treated as a hate crime, which clearly, the language on the video that HAS been released, reveals…. this whole thing will turn into some bizarre sideshow in which some suburbanite alums from a suburban Catholic High School were having a high ole time in da big weird city.
this event occurred in Center City, where the “gayborhood” has broken out of its old defined boundaries… one can walk through Rittenhouse Square, a few blocks from this horrendous event, and see two Dads with their kids on Sunday morning… same gender couples holding hands on the street…. frankly, a part of the city where folks don’t care any more.. and then these naieve superficial narrow-minded and utterly inmature folks show up and decide to rip it up…..
at the moment, the only positive think I can see in all of this is that as the case proceeds, inevitably the identity of these creeps will become public.
Jason Jehosephat
@Cam: As far as I could tell, the groups they zoomed in on all consisted of several people. For whatever reason, the person in each group who was closest to the camera (in the lower right of the frame) happened to be a man. I don’t think it was specifically the man in each case that they were zooming in on.
Jason Jehosephat
“… did you really expect the police to do anything about it?” This was uncalled for. How do you think police investigate crimes? They try to find witnesses and interview them. So they took the video, they posted it to YouTube (did you notice that it’s on the Philadelphia Police’s YouTube channel?), and asked *there* (quite possibly as only *one* of the avenues they followed in trying to locate witnesses) whether anyone could identify the people in the video. And it worked, and brought in additional information that the informants took it on themselves to track down. This was a successful intelligence-gathering tactic *by the police*. So what exactly is your problem with the police?
rand503
Oh yeah, two gay guys minding their own business decide for no reason whatsoever to take a swing at a few of 15 people. That really makes sense.
The good thing though, is that a good criminal attorney will ask for at least five or me that maybe even $10,000 as a retainer. These kids may get off Scott free, but they’ll still have to pay their attorneys a lot of money.. At least that is something.
wpewen
At 56 I can say gay men often think it’s safe on the streets in cities at night for them and maybe they should think twice. I’m a Californian, lived in both L.A. and S.F.and never got hassled. Most of the time I”ve been alone, careful where I went. I also pass very well, don’t wear leather, etc. Unfortunately that’s still reality guys. If you feel vulnerable. visible, you probably are and need to watch out. Don’t get loaded-at all. They will know it. These types of incidents happen all over and don’t get talked about. You in Philly should never let up on blasting it in the media so they are forewarned.
Daniepwils
Just wait until their names are released… Say goodbye to your job. And a storm of death threats. Also didn’t they say there were witnesses that saw what was happening and corroborated the stories of the gay men? If so then they have lied to police. Also if they get on stand and lie won’t that be perjury?
Bauhaus
Well, one of the perps has been fired from his job. Eleven to go…
He was a Catholic high school basketball coach.
http://6abc.com/news/up-to-12-suspects-sought-in-center-city-hate-crime/311158/
Lane103
Since there still has been no arrest, my fear is the 2 gay guys started the fight as mentioned in a previous comment. Unfortunately, we seem to have mutiple examples of gay people telling lies. I think of the waitress who said they did not get a tip because she was gay. Come to find out she lied. So I want to see what happens here…although the catholic diocese just fired one of the straight guys for being involved.
Cam
@Lane103: said….”Since there still has been no arrest, my fear is the 2 gay guys started the fight as mentioned in a previous comment. Unfortunately, we seem to have mutiple examples of gay people telling lies.”
_________________________
I love it when the anti-gay trolls come in here and try to float false information. Hey, Lane is it? Well Lane, the Mormons and the Catholics as well as NOM tried the exact same thing on the gay blogs during the Prop 8 and Supreme Court case “Windsor” and they were better at it than you so give it up.
So they gay guys started the fight? Funny then that the police are still maintaining the charges isn’t it? Funny then that the school fired one of the people involved in the attack if there was proof that he was not an attacker isn’t it?
Oh, and nice try on the waitress story, but you know, if that was the case you would have provided a link and you couldn’t.
Ugh, if you are going to come in here and lie at least make it somewhat difficult to spot your lies, this was too easy.
Bauhaus
Pennsylvania, not having hate crime protection, should not matter.
There is federal hate crime protection, signed into law by Obama, in 2009:
The Matthew Shepard and James Byrd, Jr., Hate Crimes Prevention Act of 2009.
@vonric:
Where is the link about the DA statement about this not being able to be treated as a hate crime? Also, a link about the suspect saying the gay guys started it and took the first punch?
Cam
The school where one of them worked sounds like they got some information and they did not mince words.
“”He was terminated this evening and will not be permitted to coach in any archdiocesan school,” Gavin said. “We expect all those who work with students in our schools to model appropriate Christian behavior at all times.””
Read more at http://www.philly.com/philly/news/20140918_Archbishop_Wood_coach_is_fired_over_Center_City_gay_attack.html#F7ZAs3U3Vwwbd548.99
Bauhaus
The Department of Justice would need to enforce the federal hate crime law in this case, if it is pursued. Even though Pennsylvania had hate crime protection for LGBT in place, it was overturned in court by the Christian Right, on some phony technicality.
This is where/when having Brian Sims is helpful, as he can muscle the process along.
YesIDid
I wish the group Anonymous would go after these imbeciles. They would really fuck these people up.
Bauhaus
Philadelphia City Councilman Jim Kenney sent a letter today to Zane Memeger, the U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, asking for Memeger’s office to look into the case and bring charges under the federal hate crimes statute, which includes offenses motivated by bias toward the victim’s sexual orientation.
Read more at:
http://www.philly.com/philly/news/Pa_law_Center_City_assault_on_gay_men_not_a_hate_crime.html#7hKQQKJ2r0AGw0Tl.99
dustashed
Re: the Brian Sims comment.
Violence may not solve everything but sometimes it solves some things. Remember StoneWall Riots of New York and to a some extent “Operation Soap” of Toronto? Sometimes, the only language these bullies understand is brute force, and sometimes you have to get your hands dirty to get the message across
enlightenone
@RevJames: Black Philly folk have a higher standard for dressing for dinner out, especially for a special event and/or an “upscale” resturant!
enlightenone
I noticed there was a rolled up carpet sticking out of one of the dumpsters where the “attack” happened. These two guys could have grabbed each end and threw it at the bunch of 12 used dildos, and that would have been the end of it!
As a part of their healing they need should take up KICKBOXING. Most attacks (“gay-bashing”) don’t involve guns!
enlightenone
Sorry for the sp/typos!
philatonian
Re: Brian Sims…Give me a break. You know how rare it is for a politician – even a gay one – to passionately speak out on our behalf without first consulting a focus group? Brian Sims said exactly what everyone was thinking and the pious trolls at Queerty have the audacity to imply that he’s somehow being irresponsible. Wake up.
enlightenone
@philatonian: I agree totally! It’s an expression of strength and anger that has been in short supply this days. More of this and follow through and there will be less bullying of the perceived vunerable and weak. Need to stop being seen as prey. Go Brian Sims! As a native Philly brotha, I have your back!
Billysees
@Desert Boy: Sep 17 11:02 am
“It’s a shame but gay men still need to be armed when they go out at night. … Had the gay couple…pulled out a gun, these heterosexual cretins would have run away screaming.”
Well meaning comment, but ‘guns’ are too deadly.
Why not carry ‘stun guns’ or ‘tazers’, if it’s legal to do so. I would think that any assailant who sees one of these things in your hand is going to think twice about assaulting you.
And what about pepper spray?
enlightenone
@Billysees: Just having one of these defense tools is also an element of surprise, especially by a gay person, can be disarming!
Billysees
@enlightenone:
Agree. They’re not expensive either. Google ‘stun guns’ or ‘tazers’ and take a look at what’s offered at Amazon — cheap and small and they look like they could cause some ‘hurtin’ too.
Stop H8
Sign the Petition on Change dot org asking Pennsylvania governor to change the PA hate crime law to include sexual orientation. Perhaps this beating is enough to kick the legislature’s butt this time to get it out of committee….
https://www.change.org/p/pennsylvania-governor-change-pa-hate-crime-law-to-include-sexual-orientation
Billysees
@enlightenone:
“Just having one of these defense tools is also an element of surprise, especially by a gay person, can be disarming!”
That’s true, but an assailant needs to be able to quickly and easily recognize one of these defense tools, or something ominous looking, in someone’s hand or else they won’t be deterred.
Amazon and others show some that are colored, even pink I’ve seen.
Just carry something that may even have a small light on so as to create some fear in an attacker.
Jason Jehosephat
@Bauhaus: Let’s all keep in mind that hate crime laws emphasize for all (including prosecutors, juries, and judges) that crimes aren’t less criminal when they’re perpetrated against members of disfavored groups, and that we take them even more seriously when hate is involved. But the designation of a hate crime is an add-on to an act that was already a crime. It’s already a felony to beat people up, whether or not a hate crime statue is in effect and whether or not group-based hate was a motivation in an attack like this. Imprisonment awaits regardless.
rickhfx
Please call this crime what it is, it is TERRORISM against all GLBT persons.