Six queer-bashed. Police response? Brutality.

On June 1st, six people, some queer and some straight allies, in two different groups, were verbally accosted and beaten by 4 heterosexist/homophobic individuals in front of 312 South Goodman Street between Park and Monroe Avenues only to then be verbally accosted and physically brutalized by the Rochester Police Department who later arrived on the scene. The attackers used anti-queer slurs throughout the beating. One of the attackers used a metal pipe.

Approximately 15 cops arrived on the scene and let the attackers go—one still holding the metal pipe. When survivors, frustrated at the response of the police, demanded to know why the attackers were let go, police brutalized and arrested three of the survivors and verbally accosted the others.

Survivors at the scene and the following day demanded that police take accounts and write up reports but were denied. The FBI has since gotten involved with the case.

At a recent community forum, a spokesperson for the Gay Alliance of the Genesee Valley (GAGV) stated that the FBI involvement had nothing to do with the hate crime—rather the Feds were involved because of accusations of "police misconduct."

Currently, no charges have been filed against the 4 attackers—although they have been interviewed according to mainstream press. As far as the police brutality goes, 4 of the survivors have filed a civil rights lawsuit against the Rochester Police Department and the Monroe County Sheriff’s Department.

A march and rally against hate crimes and police brutality is scheduled for this afternoon—4:30PM to 6:30PM—at the four corners of Monroe Avenue and South Goodman Street.

Photos from the June 26 March and Rally Against Hate Crimes and Police Brutality: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9