09/25/2007
Rash of Anti-gay Hate Crimes Investigated in Washington D.C.
Early on Saturday a man was attacked by three men on bicycles who followed him shortly after leaving BeBar on Ninth Street near the Convention Center in Northwest, the Washington Post reports.
After taunting him with anti-gay slurs, the men threw something at the victim which struck him in the head, causing him to seek treatment for cuts and bruises at the hospital. The victim's wallet was also reportedly missing after the attack, although police say it's unclear whether or not it was stolen.
The victim is an employee at the Human Rights Campaign. President Joe Solmonese spoke with NBC4: "He suffered injuries to the back of his head, as well as to his face. He went to the emergency room Saturday night," he said. "He was taken by ambulance. He had some stitches in the back of his head. He's bruised in his face. He was given an MRI, checked out internally. He's back at home and recovering now."
Several hate crimes that don't appear to be connected have occurred in Washington recently, according to the WaPo:
"On Sept. 13, a transgender person was thrown through a plate-glass window in the 800 block of Seventh Street NW, police said. Authorities said they arrested a juvenile near the scene of that attack. Early Sept. 9, a man was attacked in the 1400 block of 36th Street NW by two men who made anti-gay remarks, police said."
Police Investigate as a Hate Crime Attack on Man Leaving Nightclub [washington post]
Man Beaten After Leaving Gay Bar In Northwest [nbc4]
Hate Crimes in Washington DC [video]
Posted 8:18 AM EST by Andy Towle in Crime, News, Washington DC | Permalink
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I feel so bad for these victims of crimes. I pray for their speedy recovery. It is obvious that the tranny and the man attacked in the 1400 block were definitely hate crimes. Once I read the Post article, the victim was repeatedly taunted with anti-gay slurs. I'm so happy I read the article in full since that aspect wasn't mentioned int the post. This is definitely hate at it's worst.
For the record, I still think Solomonese is a tool. The NBC report says that Solomonese was a friend of the victim. I wonder if they had even met.
Posted by: Matt | Sep 25, 2007 9:08:08 AM
Joe Solomonese certainly sounds repetitive in his recorded statements, meaning either that he is a tool, as Matt suggests, or that he was genuinely shaken up by this and lost coherence based on his emotional state.
Like most major cities, I think DC has a pretty large gay population and there are a bunch of night spots. I can't imagine why, now, a flare-up of anti-gay activity should be violently occurring. That said, the whole area around the Convention Center is better than it used to be, but not anywhere I aspire to walk at night - sort of on the cusp between the downtown area and sections of the city that have yet to be completely in the thrall of urban renewal. Not that I am blaming the poor guy who was taunted and struck by a projectile, but just to be clear about things.
Andy, is this fresh in your mind with the banner change to a view of the 9th street pedimented porch of the Reynolds Center for American Art and Portraiture (aka, Smithsonian American Art Museum & National Portrait Gallery), as seen from the Metro escalator on that side? Have you been in DC recently?
Posted by: A | Sep 25, 2007 9:49:39 AM
J.C.! A plate glass window! My heart goes out to that person.
Posted by: Marc | Sep 25, 2007 11:51:47 AM
Like Matt, I wish this poor guy a speedy recovery. Thankfully, it does not sound like these injuries are life-threatening.
That being said - nobody should be surprised by this event. Not because anti-gay violence is suddenly on the rise, but because BeBar's just in a shitty neighborhood. I'm a pretty big guy, and even I feel a little threatened walking over there.
Posted by: tservo | Sep 25, 2007 11:59:18 AM
This is not the first time BeBar has been caught in the middle of homophobia.
When the owners appliedfor liquor licenses, the local churches protested the bar would attract an "immoral" crowd and that the neighborhood didn't want "those kind" of people hanging around. It's not hard to figure out what they were talking about, and even more ironic since the neighborhood and churches are predominantly black.
Posted by: DC Guy | Sep 25, 2007 2:13:48 PM
I do feel sorry for the victim, but we should all remember to either call for a cab right in front of BeBar, or don't walk alone; the neighborhood remains very unsafe the 15 years I've lived nearby. The bar sits in the middle of blocks and blocks of abandoned store fronts. and I would avoid it all together.
Posted by: Eric | Sep 25, 2007 3:24:42 PM
I do feel sorry for the victim, but we should all remember to either call for a cab right in front of BeBar, or don't walk alone; the neighborhood remains very unsafe the 15 years I've lived nearby. The bar sits in the middle of blocks and blocks of abandoned store fronts. and I would avoid it all together.
Posted by: Eric | Sep 25, 2007 3:25:22 PM
I do feel sorry for the victim, but we should all remember to either call for a cab right in front of BeBar, or don't walk alone; the neighborhood remains very unsafe the 15 years I've lived nearby. The bar sits in the middle of blocks and blocks of abandoned store fronts. and I would avoid it all together.
Posted by: Eric | Sep 25, 2007 3:25:41 PM
Eric....you have a triple post problem quite often....stop sneezing when you hit post.....lol
Posted by: Joshua | Sep 25, 2007 6:51:13 PM
I mean the following comment with all due respect and not to call someone out in a negative way, but I'm a little uncomfortable with the use of the word "tranny" posted by Matt. I realize some transgender people may use the term to describe themselves, but in my experience, it has been viewed as a bit derogatory. I believe a preferred term might be "trans person" or "transgender(ed) person."
Posted by: Aaron | Sep 25, 2007 9:02:54 PM
Wow! I feel for the victims, and I'm glad my partner (who works in DC) was here (I live in Norfolk, VA) for the weekend.
Posted by: RP | Sep 25, 2007 9:42:36 PM
That sucks with the anti-gay stuff happening in DC. I live in DC and our normal "gayborhood" is slowly becoming seperate due to the changing landscape of several neighborhoods and the closure of several older gay clubs & bars. Unfortately, a lot of gay bars have had to open in usually shady neighborhoods where BeBar is located. It's sad that in the Nation's Capital, stuff like this still exist, but then again, it is everywhere.
Posted by: Sly | Sep 26, 2007 12:42:37 PM