2 gay men assaulted for holding hands in Arizona

Grimmlok · December 21st, 2006, 05:59 PM

Quote:

Scottsdale police are investigating an alleged hate crime reported by a gay couple who said they were jumped by as many as seven men outside a Scottsdale restaurant near McDowell and Scottsdale roads.

As they held hands and began to leave Frasher's Steakhouse late Sunday, Jean Rolland and Andrew Frost said they were humiliated and beaten in the restaurant's entryway.

Frost, 19, was taken to Scottsdale Healthcare Osborn, where he was treated and released. Frost received several staples to treat a wound on his scalp, and several stitches to seal other wounds to his face.

Rolland, 28, suffered minor injuries.

The men, who had been dating for a couple of weeks, are seeking to press charges against their attackers - none of whom have been arrested as of Monday afternoon, according to Scottsdale police.

"My only hope is that they're going to brag about it and tell their friends how tough they were," said Rolland, a native of France who lives part-time in Scottsdale.

"How tough is it to use seven guys to take on two guys, including one 19-year-old who weighs 120 pounds?" he asked.

Frost, a Scottsdale resident who graduated from Mesa Westwood High, said the attack was the second he endured in the past three years. When he was 16, he said, he was attacked by two teens and an adult in Mesa. One used an aluminum baseball bat.

The Sunday night incident was upsetting, he said, because no one from the restaurant said they saw anything, though the attack happened only a few feet from the front door.

It was unclear if any weapons were used in the attack.

"It was creepy to me," Frost said. "I could see the bone in my jaw through one gash.

"I had blood pouring out of me and I actually blacked out at one point."

Scottsdale police confirmed the assault about 8 p.m. at the restaurant, 2122 N. Scottsdale Road, though the incident report was available Monday afternoon.

Rolland and Frost said that as they left the restaurant, two men headed into the eatery, and one of them called them "fags."

Rolland turned around and said something, leading the two men to attack them. Other men from inside the restaurant joined the attack.

"All of a sudden, out of nowhere, there were six or seven guys," Rolland said.

George Frasher, owner of the restaurant, said he was shocked to hear about the attack, which started near the entrance before spilling out into the parking lot.

Frasher said he and other staff believed that the assailants are regulars at another south Scottsdale bar, and added that none are affiliated with Frasher's.

Rolland and Frost have brought the incident to the attention of the Arizona Human Rights Fund and Foundation, a Phoenix-based non-profit organization that advocates for gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender rights.

The organization, which has lobbied the Legislature for stricter penalties for hate crimes, said it will follow the Scottsdale police investigation to determine if the attack was specifically triggered by anti-gay sentiments.

"What makes these two men so admirable is that they have chose to speak out about it," said Amy Kobeta, a spokeswoman for the group. "So many people just let it go because they are too afraid or embarrassed to talk about it."

http://www.azcentral.com/12news/news...218-ON-CP.html

Well that's horrible.

On another note, wtf is a 28 year old doing fucking a 19 year old? Sounds more like a rent-boy situation to me.

DitaPage* · December 22nd, 2006, 07:07 AM

Oh how sickening and sad. They're not men, these guys are pathetic. I have never understood why they have to beat homosexuals, are they so disturbed by someone being gay? Its just twisted.

crumpet · December 22nd, 2006, 09:41 AM

It is flat out NOT NORMAL to be so upset about what someone else does when it doesn't affect your ability to live your own life as you see fit. Why don't these assholes just wear Tshirts that say, "Hey, I've had homosexual thoughts and feel embarrassed because I think it might mean I'm gay, so I'll have to kick your ass to show the world I'm not"? That is a sickening story. How dare anyone think they have the right to do that!

greysfang · December 22nd, 2006, 11:05 AM

Quote:

Frost, 19, was taken to Scottsdale Healthcare Osborn, where he was treated and released. Frost received several staples to treat a wound on his scalp, and several stitches to seal other wounds to his face.

My ex brother-in-law works there.

Mariesoleil · December 22nd, 2006, 12:13 PM

That's horrible indeed. I hate hearing stories like this.

celeb_2006 · December 22nd, 2006, 08:02 PM

Wow, what "men" they are indeed, what, 7 against two? It's depressing reading stuff like this.

teforde23 · December 22nd, 2006, 09:20 PM

I could never understand what beating up two homosexuals justifies. What is the reason behind it. Do they think that by beating them up they would all of a sudden turn straight. So you don't agree with the lifestyle, so what. Just move on with your life. do they also think that by just being near a gay person then they would turn gay too? I would like to hear someone truly justify beating up someone for their religion, sex, race, or sexual preference. its inexcusable

Sojiita · December 23rd, 2006, 02:44 AM

Sickening and disgusting story. Too bad one of the gay guys did not know some kind of martial arts so he could have beaten the shits to within an inch of their lives.

MgMMD · December 23rd, 2006, 12:53 PM

What fuckers.

Crumpet- I totally agree.

MrsDark · December 23rd, 2006, 02:26 PM

Don't bashers realize the first thing everyone else thinks of them when they do this shit is: These guys are undoubtedly secretly gayer than gay.

Honey · December 28th, 2006, 06:37 PM

Sad story

Why do some people feel so threatened by homosexuals?? So odd. I agree with other posters...they might harbour secret homosexual thoughts perhaps?

Grimmlok · December 28th, 2006, 06:39 PM

The ones most offended by it and who talk about it the most are rthe ones who have the tendencies

**Mr. Authority** · December 28th, 2006, 06:45 PM

I'm gonna say it's a mix of homosexual tendeices and machismo. Most of these homophobes were brought up in a society that dictates a "real" man has no feelings and that gay men are'nt real men. Plus these homophobes mostly have that fear they do not fit that image of a "real" man so they beat up on gay men to feel more manly. Get it?

Honey · December 28th, 2006, 06:52 PM

^ You both make sense.

Mira · December 28th, 2006, 06:56 PM

Another factor could be that there is some sexual abuse in the background of one of more of the perps. (Doesn't excuse the behavior.)

Blows my mind. Guess it's because I lived in SF 30 years ago and it was commonplace. Hard to believe we haven't come very far in our country. Indeed, it seems there's been a few steps back in the rest of the country.