Transgender Shelter Says Director Was Attacked

[Ian David]

Transgender Shelter Says Director Was Attacked
POSTED: 8:34 pm EDT July 8, 2008

NEW YORK -- A priest who runs a shelter specializing in outreach to homeless transgender youths was beaten with construction equipment and paint cans by a group of teenagers in a possible hate crime, authorities said Tuesday.

Two 17-year-olds and a 16-year-old were awaiting arraignment Tuesday on charges of assault and criminal possession of a weapon, Queens prosecutors said. A 15-year-old was being charged as a juvenile in the Monday attack outside the Carmen's Place shelter, prosecutors said.

The four boys gathered in front of Carmen's Place around 10 p.m. and started harassing and taunting the residents with homophobic slurs and insults, people at the shelter said. The director, the Rev. Louis Braxton Jr., tried to intervene but was attacked with paint cans, a woodworking tool and other objects found along the street, they said.

Braxton, 52, was treated at a hospital for cuts and bruises. A shelter resident also was injured in the attack, which occurred on one of the main thoroughfares in the Astoria neighborhood.

More:
http://www.wnbc.com/news/16825432/detail.html

“Hate crimes are a form of domestic terrorism. They send a message that some Americans deserve to be victimized because of who they are.”-- Sen. Ted Kennedy

http://thehill.com/leading-the-news/senators-add-hate-crimes-measure-to-defense-authorization-legislation-2007-09-26.html

[JackBeck]

1. That's just terrible.

Anyone who thinks NYC is some sort of gay mecca is sorely mistaken.