Tag: gay bashing

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City Councilman Asks Federal Government To Explore Hate Crime Charges For Philly Gay-bashing

City Councilman James Kenney

Amid the outrage caused by a gay-bashing in Center City last week that sent a gay couple to the hospital, City Councilman James Kenney has called for the federal government to bring hate-crime charges against the group suspected in the attack.

Kenney called the incident “a violent and vicious attack on two human beings because they are gay.”

“It’s a crime of violent bias that calls for the full weight of federal prosecution by the United States Department of Justice,” he said in a statement.

Currently, a crime related to LGBT animus is not covered under hate-crime laws in Pennsylvania, but it is covered under federal law. Sexual orientation had been a part of the hate crime statute until 2008, when the state Supreme Court ruled that such inclusion was a violation of the state constitution.

Police are currently interviewing “persons of interest” but no arrests have been made as yet.

Pennsylvania state Rep. Brian Sims

In related news, state Rep. Brian Sims – who represents the area where the attack took place – says he will push to change the hate crime law to include gender identity, sexual orientation, and physical and mental disability to the hate crime law. Already introduced in 2013, the legislation is not likely to see any activity until 2015.

“One of the things I’ve learned is that sometimes it takes a horribly negative experience to get people out of their seats, for them to be active and engaged,” says State Representative Brian Sims of his colleagues in Harrisburg. “It’s not necessarily because they’re opposed but because they aren’t aware of the need. So we are going to be sure to utilize this horrible event to make sure that they hear about it. I’m going to be bringing two people with me who will be able to tell them all about it.”

You can watch Councilman James Kenney speak to the City Council about the attack below:

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Philadelphia: One Member Of Gay-Bashing Mob Fired From Catholic High School

NBC Philadelphia is reporting that some of the members of the mob who are “persons of interest” in the attack on two gay men last week which sent them to the hospital with severe injuries were alumni from Archbishop Wood High School in nearby Warminster, PA.

One of the persons of interest was also the assistant basketball coach at Archbishop Wood before the school dismissed him from his duties Wednesday, according to a school spokesman.

“He was not a teacher at the school but serving as a coach on a contract basis. He was terminated this evening and will not be permitted to coach in any Archdiocesan school,” the spokesperson said. “We expect all those who work with students in our schools to model appropriate Christian behavior at all times.”

UPDATE: The AP is reporting that the assistant basketball coach, Fran McGlinn, resigned from his position at the school when confronted about the allegations, and was not fired. One has to wonder – if innocent, why would McGlinn resign so quickly after being identified?

Four of the alleged attackers arrived at the police station to give statements accompanied by their lawyers.  One lawyer told the press that the vicious attack was in self-defense because one of the two gay men threw the first punch.

Right, because two gay men when confronted by a homophobic mob like to instigate a fight on a dark street when they are outnumbered 6 to 1.  Makes perfect sense.  I’d like to see the mob’s defensive wounds…

The high school, Archbishop Wood High School, issued this statement in regard to the attack:

Earlier today, Archbishop Wood High School became aware that some of its former students were allegedly involved in the assault of two men in Center City last week.

This afternoon, administrators communicated with the entire Archbishop Wood school community to make it emphatically clear that the school does not, under any circumstances, tolerate or condone the violent and hateful behavior displayed by those who took part in this senseless attack.

Administration also stressed that Catholic schools are centers of learning where students are expected to treat each other in a Christ-like manner at all times and that everyone deserves to be treated with respect and dignity. The actions of those who took part in the attack are reprehensible and entirely unacceptable. They are not an accurate reflection of our Catholic values or of Archbishop Wood High School.

Watch the report from the Philadelphia NBC affiliate below:

(via JMG)