Date: Mon, 12 Dec 1994 15:06:43 -0500 From: David B. O'Donnell To: Multiple recipients of list GLB-NEWS Subject: Gay Hate Crime on The Rise World-Wide [ Send all responses to Gayeditor@AOL.COM only. Any responses to the list or list-owners will be returned to you. ] This article appeared in the December 7, 1994 issue of Update, Southern California's oldest Gay and Lesbian weekly newspaper. It is reprinted here with the permission of the editor (me). Anyone wishing to use the article in their publications can e-mail me at gayeditor@aol.com to discuss it. Gay Hate Crimes On The Rise Around The World By Steve Chrysler For Update The bashing of a Gay American couple near the center of Amsterdam, the unofficial Gay capitol of the world, typifies the rising wave of hate-crimes world-wide. The national Dutch organization for Gay rights, the C.O.C., expressed surprise and regret at this latest attack because it happened on a major shopping street, near the very heart of Amsterdam, and that it was committed, not by foreign-born youths, but by three young Dutch men. Gay bashing has been rare through-out Holland for over 20 years, and while now on an upswing, it usually occurred in secluded areas, and by immigrant youths from unenlightened countries. The American couple was attacked by three short-haired white youths. The attackers were adrift on the empty street, but looked like many other young college students that had been out too late and missed their train home. As the Americans approached, one of the attackers asked about a taxi in a polite and friendly tone of voice. Then as the couple came closer, the attackers said something about "Homophile" (an outdated Dutch word referring to homosexuality as a disease) as they violently pummeled and kicked their victims. "They wanted to kill us," said the victim, "such unrefined but clearly focused hate. Scary. One of them grabbed my arm and wrapped his leg around my leg and kept trying to trip me. He never succeeded, but he did keep me immobilized. He kept screaming to his friends to hit me more. They kept winding up and belting me, They would have killed me if they had been able to knock me to the ground. They concentrated their attack on my head. One had grabbed the folded umbrella that my lover was carrying and clubbed me with it." The lover was afraid that they had weapons, and ran to get help. Meanwhile, the bashing continued, as the American shouted for the police. With his free hand he was able to strike the youth gripping him and bust the wire-rim glasses off the attacker's face. The American was able to drag himself and the gripping youth to a trash container, where he began to bounce the attacker's head against it. At this point the attackers, who probably didn't expect such loud resistance, stopped and ran. The victim staggered for help with his jacket and face covered in blood from the wounds to his head, nose, and face. The attacker's prescription glasses were found, but the Amsterdam police seemed reluctant to trace them to their owners. The C.O.C. has offered to help by encouraging the police to track down the attackers through the optical distributor carrying the unique frame and then cross-matching with the precise prescription. Amsterdam isn't the only progressive European city to see an increase in Gay hate crimes. De GAY Krant, the Netherlands largest Gay newspaper, reports that Prague, the liberal flower of eastern Europe, now has skinheads stalking outside Gay bars to bash unsuspecting patrons. "Hate crimes are up all over the world, particularly in Western Europe," noted Elan Steinberg, executive director of the World Jewish Congress. "The attacks are frequently done by skinheads and they strike upon foreign workers, Jews, Gays, other minorities, the elderly and the handicapped. These skinhead groups have strong and growing international links." United States Not Much Better In their March 1994 study, The New York City Gay And Lesbian Anti-Violence Project reported that hate crimes against Gays and Lesbians throughout the USA are up in general. They found a nation-wide trend in six major cities. It showed that while reported hate crimes against Gays and the number of serious injuries declined slightly in 1993, that violence is still at an alarming level - 90 percent above 1989 figures. New York City leads the country in reports of anti- Gay/Lesbian crime. San Diego has seen both an increase and decrease in Gay hate crimes, depending on neighborhood. Citizen's Patrol's co-founder Bob Heider, wants the public to know that there has been a drastic increase in crimes against Gays in the Hillcrest area over the last eight weeks. The attackers seem to be following people out of Gay bars and robbing, stabbing, shooting, and/or bashing them. Violent attacks have been reported near several popular Hillcrest businesses including; The Loft, Kickers, The "F" Street Bookstore and The Brass Rail. Heider said "These current attacks are not by skinheads like before; 100 percent of these attacks were done by Latino youths in their late teens to mid 20s. I'm not certain, and I hope that I am wrong, but I fear some gang has decided to use Hillcrest and the Gay community as a "proving ground" for their new members." The San Diego Police recently made some arrests in relation to these crimes, and hope that those arrested will lead them to other attackers. Ken Hofer, of the San Diego Police Department, is the community relations officer for the Hillcrest storefront office in the Uptown shopping district. Officer Hofer feels that 1991 was San Diego's height of violence against seniors & Gays. He pointed out a drop in such crimes in the North Park area. Azalea Park, which received a great deal of media attention 18 months ago when it made an official bid for Gay residents, braced itself for anti-Gay crimes that never occurred. The Gay influx included a former New York City cop, Ed Posner, and his Gay lover. Posner's abilities to network with the local police and motivate the residents have helped make Azalea Park San Diego's safest Gay neighborhood. The only persons shot in the last two years were criminals. In those three separate deaths, only one was shot by police. Azalea Park's total crime rate dropped to near zero over a year ago and continues to be virtually free of any crime or violence. Reports Vs. Actual Luis Aragon, deputy district attorney of San Diego D.A.'s Office, pointed out the difficulty in monitoring hate crimes. "Are hate crime numbers up in San Diego? Yes, but maybe just the reported number is up because the climate to report these crimes is better. The public is now encouraged to report them," Aragon, who tracks all types of hate crimes, continued. "Hate crime reports are up involving all minorities. The most frequent victim groups, in order are; blacks, Latinos, and Gays. I suspect that there are also many more attacks against illegal aliens that will never be reported." What Triggers The Rise James McElroy is the San Diego based attorney who handles hate crime cases and successfully sued Mike Metzger of W.A.R. (White Aryan Resistance) for $12,000,000. When asked which minority group showed the biggest increase in hate crimes, McElroy responded, "(the) most significant increase is in the Gay community. In my personal opinion, Gay hate crimes are up in the USA and the world. The kind of individuals most likely to commit a hate crime are kids who don't have a lot of support system, not much strokes from school, family, or sports. They tend to be out of the military, but there is a strong military connection." Matt Foreman, executive director of The New York City Gay And Lesbian Anti-Violence Project provided the following information, "The apparent connection between anti- Gay/Lesbian organizing and hate violence against Gay men and Lesbians is supported by data from other parts of the country. In 1992, right wing groups organized campaigns to pass ballot initiatives in Colorado and Oregon to prevent the extension of civil rights protection to Gay men and Lesbians in those states. Proponents of the measures suffused both states with egregious myths and negative stereotypes of Gay and Lesbian people. In both states, hate crimes against Lesbians and Gay men soared. In Denver, for example, anti-Gay incidents rose 129 percent during 1992 (89 to 204). In Portland, advocates reported 968 incidents in 1992. During 1993, the fever pitch abated in both states and reported incidents in Portland declined 82 percent, and in Denver the rate of increase dropped 93 percent to 12 percent." Citizen's Patrol has educated over 900 people in their free workshops on how to avoid being a victim. Their next two-hour workshop is from 7:00 to 9:00 p.m. on January 17, 1995, at the Hillcrest city patrol office near Tenth and University Streets. Call 299-7028 for details.