Tag Archives: hate crimes

The Funeral Of Jorge Mercado

Openly gay teenager Jorge Steven Lopez Mercado, the victim of one of the most gruesome hate crimes in memory, was buried in Puerto Rico yesterday. Clip and subtitles by Andres Duque at Blabbeando. Get out a tissue. Get out two.

Read More »

Hundreds Gather At NYC Memorial For Murdered Gay Teen Jorge Mercado

Hundreds of New Yorkers gathered on the chilly Christopher Street Pier tonight to honor the memory of murdered gay teen Jorge Mercado and to call on the federal and Puerto Rican governments to charge his killer with a hate crime. A broad coalition of LGBT, Hispanic, and progressive groups were represented by numerous speakers who spoke in English and Spanish …

Read More »

Jorge Steven Lopez Mercado, 19

Via Andres Duque at Blabbeando, the mother of murdered gay teen Jorge Steven Lopez Mercado shares her grief. (Mercado’s mother is pictured above with activist Pedro Julio Serrano. They are recreating Mercado’s signature salute, seen below.) “When my son told me he was gay, I told him, ‘Now, I love you more’. I want to tell the world that hatred …

Read More »

Jorge Mercado Vigils To Take Place This Weekend Nationwide

JMG reader Sean Chapin created this clip publicizing the memorial vigils to take place around the country this weekend in honor of murdered gay teen Jorge Mercado.

Read More »

Transgender Day Of Remembrance

Today is the 11th annual International Transgender Day Of Remembrance. The Transgender Day of Remembrance was set aside to memorialize those who were killed due to anti-transgender hatred or prejudice. The event is held in November to honor Rita Hester, whose murder on November 28th, 1998 kicked off the “Remembering Our Dead” web project and a San Francisco candlelight vigil …

Read More »

Puerto Rico: “Gay Panic” Defense In Murder Of Gay Teen Jorge Mercado

Juan Martinez Matos, 25, is being held on $4M bond in San Juan, Puerto Rico after confessing to the decapitation murder of 19 year-old gay teen Jorge Mercado. The killer is claiming “gay panic” after he discovered that Mercado, who was in drag, was a male. Martinez met Lopez while looking for women Thursday night in an area known for …

Read More »

Orlando LGBT Center Vandalized

On Sunday homophobic slurs were painted on Orlando’s LGBT Center and a nearby gay-owned business. The Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual Community Center of Central Florida — more commonly known as The Center — and a second nearby gay-owned business were targeted by vandals who spray painted with a swastika and the words “Gay Pawer,” “Die Fags,” “Go To Hell” and other …

Read More »

Puerto Rico: Arrest Made In Gruesome Decapitation Murder Of Gay Teen

Puerto Rico police have made an arrest in the gruesome murder of openly gay 19 year-old Jorge Steven Lopez Mercado, whose decapitated and burned body was found in a wooded area on Friday. Towleroad writes: Today, the paper Primera Hora reports that a 28-year-old man has been arrested as a suspect in the murder and and two vehicles have been …

Read More »

Local News On “Gay Panic” Marine Attack

Here’s local Tampa news covering the “gay panic” claim of USMC reservist Jasen Bruce, who attacked a Greek Orthodox priest with a tire iron.

Read More »

Tampa: Marine Beats Greek Priest With Tire Iron, Claims Gay Panic

USMC Reservist Jasen Bruce, 28, who moonlights as a beefcake model, yesterday beat a robed Greek Orthodox priest with a tire iron, claiming the man had groped him sexually and said “Alluha Akbar.” The priest, who speaks little English, says he was lost and asking for directions. Later Bruce recanted his claim that the priest spoke Arabic to him and …

Read More »

Bloggers Honored By NYC’s LGBT Anti-Violence Project

Last night Pam Spaulding of Pam’s House Blend, Andy Towle of Towleroad, and Bil Browning of The Bilerico Project and I attended the NYC Anti-Violence Project’s Courage Awards, where we were honored for our work as “citizen journalists” – a term Pam calls “the glamour word for bloggers, don’tcha know, since we didn’t have PJs on.” We had elected Pam …

Read More »

“God Made Me Hate Gay People”

Two men returning from a Halloween event were assaulted by three men in Long Island’s Nassau County early Sunday morning in what police are calling a hate crime. According to Newsday, the one man captured told police, “God made me hate gay people.” Shouting an anti-gay slur, three assailants beat a man and his cross-dressing friend before stealing $7 from …

Read More »

Thousands Rally Against Hate Crimes In London’s Trafalgar Square

JMG reader Zefrog took the above photo of last night’s anti-hate crimes rally in London’s Trafalgar Square. Check out his Flickr gallery here. Via BBC News: A vigil for victims of hate crime has taken place in Trafalgar Square just yards away from the scene of an assault which resulted in a gay man’s death. Family and friends and thousands …

Read More »

November 9th: NYC Anti-Violence Project’s 13th Annual Courage Awards

With the horrendous spate of brutal hate crimes seen recently in New York City, the important work of the NYC Anti-Violence Project has never been more vital. Please consider supporting them by attending Nov. 9th’s 13th Annual Courage Awards fundraiser. The New York City Anti-Violence Project (AVP) will hold its 13th Annual Courage Awards on Monday, November 9, 2009 at …

Read More »

London: Thousands Expected At Anti-Bashing Rally In Trafalgar Square

Thousands are expected to attended tonight’s anti-gay bashing rally in London’s Trafalgar Square in a vigil for murder victim Ian Baynham. Up to 10,000 people are expected to take part in a silent candle-lit vigil against Hate-Crime this evening in Trafalgar Square. The event, organised by the facebook group 17-24-30, is being held to commemorate the homophobic murder of Ian …

Read More »

Guilty Plea In Upstate NY Gay Bashing

Just as his assault trial was to begin, gay basher Joshua Holts was allowed to plead guilty to a lesser charge and now faces seven years in prison. Joshua Holts pleaded guilty Monday to felony assault for beating a gay man outside a Springville bar last year, leaving the victim with facial injuries that required four surgeries. As Erie County …

Read More »

More On Jack Price Rally

Andy Humm at Gay City News has published his story about Saturday’s rally in Queens for gay bashing victim Jack Price. Here’s what the counter-protesters had to say. An interracial group of about 20 of Danny Rodriguez’s supporters boldly demonstrated across the street from the rally with signs and chants insisting that he did not commit a hate crime, though …

Read More »

Marisa Ragonese At Jack Price Rally

Father Tony provides this video of Queens LGBT activist Marisa Ragonese speaking to the crowd at the Jack Price rally yesterday. Watch as Ragonese connects the dots between anti-bullying education and hate crimes.

Read More »

Jack Price March & Rally In Queens

This afternoon the Farmboyz and I traveled to the working-class neighborhood of College Point, Queens, far past the end of subway service, to attend the march and rally in support of gay bashing victim Jack Price. We were a bit concerned that the 90+ minute trek from Manhattan might hamper a strong show of support, but were very pleased to …

Read More »

Father Of Queens Basher Begs For Mercy

Read More »