Gay Couple Beaten After Britney Spears Newark Concert

Source The Star-Ledger. Gay Couple Attacked after Newark New Jersey Concert say police slow to help.

Pictured Daniel Caldwell who's jaw was broken during the attack. According to security guards police drove away despite being flagged down by witness's after a group of twenty people beat the couple. Forty five minutes after Cadwell was transported by ambulance the police finally appeared at the crime scene according to Caldwell's partner, Joshua Kehoe.

The police, reluctant to label attacks 'hate crimes' are looking at DOT video's from the area to help make a determination if the attack was bias motivated. According to the victims, the assailants yelled hate slurs that defame homosexual's while hitting and kicking the couple.

Steven Goldstein, chairman of Garden State Equality said his group is looking into the attack.
"Two people have the living daylights beaten out of them, while they are called a (epithet)," he said. "If that's not a hate crime, then I don't know what it is."


By Kelli Busey
March 18, 2009
planetransgender

Union Bar Reaches Agreement With GLBT Community

The Houston GLBT Political Caucus and Union Bar released the following joint statement Monday evening. Because of the resolution of this matter, the Facebook group "United Against Union Bar" will be shut down on Wednesday.

Representatives from Union Bar and Lounge met with leaders from the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community Monday and reached a resolution that actions that led to the perception of discrimination were unintended.

“Due to a miscommunication between management of Union Bar and Lounge and the door staff, we acknowledge that actions by the door staff caused an unintended perception of discriminatory actions towards the gay and lesbian community. We wholeheartedly did not want or intend for this to happen. We also acknowledge that this unintended action caused hurt and bad feeling within the gay and lesbian community towards Union Bar and it staff. We also extend this apology to all of our regular gay and lesbian customers who may have been hurt by this misunderstanding.”

“We deeply appreciate Union Bar and Lounge coming to us to clear up this incident,” said Kris Banks, president of the Houston GLBT Political Caucus. “We accept Union Bar’s explanation that miscommunication was at the heart of the problem. We understand that there was no discriminatory intent, but circumstances led to a strong perception that we were excluded because of our sexual orientation.’

“Our community is sensitive to discrimination, an understandable sentiment given the unfinished nature of our civil rights movement. Discrimination still exists, and should be addressed with legislation like House Bill 2215. We were happy to hear that the owners of Union Bar and Lounge are supporters of this legislation 100%."

“We are happy for resolution and call for the GLBT community to move on and continue working for equality. We urge the community to cease negative bombardment, especially highly inappropriate harassment and threats.”

The Union Bar and Lounge will continue to work with the GLBT community and intends to hold a fundraiser in the near future

Reaceived March 16, 2009 via facebook from "United Against Union Bar"

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