Man Attacked Downtown

X-posted from OIA

This was sent to OIA by a member of our community. Please read the story, and if you can, attend the meeting at Firestorm. Asheville is not as safe as we all want to believe it is sometimes, and this is a sad reminder of that fact. If you know anything about the attack, including details of the attackers’ identities, please contact the police.

Please read below a description of a recent event in which an Asheville community member was attacked on 7/05/08:

“Tonight at about midnight a friend of mine got gay bashed and robbed on Haywood St. in downtown Asheville. He was walking toward Cookie Larue’s (a local gay bar, for those of you that don’t know), when he was approached by two men on a scooter. When he told them that he was heading for the gay bar, the two assholes (along with another man that showed up in a car) knocked him down, kicked him in the face, stomped on his head, shouted gay slurs at him, and forced him to eat dog feces. He managed to stab one man with his leatherman (a multi-tool) in the leg several times before they fled. They also took his wallet and his shoes.

I am sending this message out to other queers and queer-lovers not only as a warning to those that walk this area late at night, but as a call to arms! It goes without saying that this kind of hate motivated crime WILL NOT BE TOLERATED IN ASHEVILLE!!!! If it means that we have to monitor the streets outside our beloved gay bars, then we must do it.

We know that someone witnessed the incident and attempted to contact the police, but we don’t know if any accurate descriptions of the assailants were given to the police. All that is known is that the attackers were three African-American men between the ages of 23-30, with short hair, and of slim/built stature. Two were riding on a dark scooter, and the third was in a silver-ish sedan with a white female driving. Any further information about these homophobic pieces of shit would be great.”

This account was posted on Myspace and the individual who survived this attack wishes to remain anonymous as of today. After reposting this account with a request that we collaborate and brainstorm an action or set of responses, many others have come forward saying that they have witnessed such events or experienced violence and threats, themselves.

As such, we call an emergency community meeting to be held THIS Wednesday at Firestorm at 5:30! Firestorm is a collective infoshop located at 48 Comerce St. in Downtown Asheville behind Vintage Moon on Patton Ave. Firestorm is located where the Eaties Cereal Bar used to be by the Department of Social Services.
Bring yourself, your family, and allies to discuss and brainstorm a set of responses and actions that we can take to let the community know that we expect and demand equal protection and to ensure our own safety. Our status as gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgendered, intersexed, queer, questioning, and allies does not merit attack! Ideas that are already in the works include providing self-defense trainings, phonelists for safe and sober late night transportation or walking accompaniment, and putting together a press package and calling in the media to raise awareness and visibility about the incidence of assaults in Asheville. We wish to make it loud and clear that no person should be at risk of assault simply due to their gender presentation or perceived sexual identity.

Please join us if you can! If you are unable, please send thoughts to this email adress to be shared at the meeting and included in the minutes: safestreetsasheville@gmail.com