A 72-year-old New York City man was severely beaten in what authorities have confirmed to be an anti-LGBTQ hate crime.
The attack took place on 15 September near the corner of West 17th Street and Ninth Avenue in the heart of the Chelsea neighborhood, which is popular with gay residents and visitors. Police investigating the case said four assailants beat the victim while hurling homophobic slurs at him.
The victim suffered a broken jaw and several lacerations to his body, police said. He was treated for his injuries at a local hospital.
The suspects ran away from the scene of the attack to a nearby building. No arrests had been announced in connection with the beating as of Monday.
Investigators described one of the assailants as being “heavyset” with a light complexion. The other three were described as having medium complexions and slim to medium builds.
Authorities released pictures of suspects in the case, which is being investigated by the New York police’s hate crimes taskforce.
WANTED HATE CRIME ASSAULT: 9/15/23 @ 8:15 PM @NYPD10PCT vicinity of W 17 St & 9 Ave, the unknown individuals assaulted a 72-yr-old victim while making anti-LGBTQIA+ statements. Any info call us at 800-577-TIPS or anonymously post a tip on our website https://t.co/TRPPY5zHV2 pic.twitter.com/X5Pr1IqRfu
— NYPD Crime Stoppers (@NYPDTips) October 8, 2023
In another prominent and violent anti-LGBTQ attack reported in New York City, vogue dancer O’Shae Sibley was fatally stabbed in July after he confronted teenagers who taunted his group of gay black friends as they danced at a Brooklyn gasoline station.
The suspect arrested in that case faces a count of murder as well as a hate crime charge.
O’Sibley’s death and the beating in Chelsea last month come after federal authorities have warned of a rise in hate crimes in the US.
The FBI reported in March that hate crimes had increased by 12% in 2021 compared with the previous year. About 64% of victims in the cases reported were targeted due to their race, ethnicity or ancestry. Another 16% were targeted over their sexual orientation, and 14% of cases involved religious bias, according to the FBI report.
Between June 2022 and April 2023, the Anti-Defamation League and Glaad, an LGBTQ+ advocacy group, documented at least 356 “extremist and non-extremist incidents motivated by anti-LGBTQ+ hate”, according to a report issued in June.
Drag events and performers were the most frequent target of LGBTQ+ hate incidents, accounting for 138 of the total. Many Republicans have sought to demonize drag shows, and events have frequently been targeted by rightwing groups.