Two Men Arrested After Stonewall Gay Bashing

Even though it’s unfortunately commonplace that we hear about gay-bashings and other hate crimes directed against members of the LGBT community, it become increasingly difficult when those incidents take place where we often times feel safe.

But according to various reports, a gay man was attacked over the weekend at the Stonewall Inn, what is considered by many to be the birthplace of the modern day gay rights movement right after another hate crime was reported in the Chelsea district of New York, which is also considered to be a more gay friendly location.

According to KOLD News 13:

Two men were arrested in the early Sunday beating, which came little more than a day after a group of male friends bidding an affectionate good night to each other were attacked in another anti-gay assault elsewhere in Manhattan, prosecutors said.

In the incident that occurred at the Stonewall Inn, a bar patron was in the bar’s restroom early Sunday morning when Matthew Francis, accompanied by a friend, asked the man what type of bar they were in, when the victim told his attackers it was a gay bar, Francis reportedly spewed some an anti-gay slurs.

Francis told the prosecutor in the case he told the victim:

“I don’t like gay people. Don’t pee next to me.”

The 21 year-old Francis then demanded money from and punched the victim in the face and continued to beat him while his friend blocked the bathroom exit and tackled the victim, holding him down while Francis beat him.

Francis was arraigned on Monday and his Angel Soto, the defense lawyer stated the victim, not Francis was the aggressor and that Francis’ actions were self defense and not motivated by anti-gay bias. Soto stated: