Gay Couple Beaten In Scottsdale, Arizona Hate Attack

A gay couple holding hands as they left a Scottsdale restaurant were attacked by as many as seven men leaving the pair badly beaten.

Andrew Frost and Jean Rolland say the attack took place just feet from the restaurant’s front doors.  

Frost, 19, needed numerous stitches to close wounds on his head and face. Rolland, 28, suffered many bumps and bruises.

"I had blood pouring out of me and I actually blacked out at one point," Frost told the Arizona Republic.

He said that as he and Rolland exited the restaurant he heard someone yell "fag". He said he turned and saw two men. Frost said that he replied to the slur and one of the men punched him. He said that at least five others rushed from the restaurant and joined the attack.

Frost and Rolland have filed a police report, but no one at the restaurant seems to have seen anything. The couple said they had never seen their attackers before.

Worcester rally takes ugly turn

Tempers boiled over at an anti-gay marriage rally yesterday when the executive director of the Boston-based Catholic Citizenship emerged from behind a lectern outside City Hall, rushed toward a female counter-demonstrator, and pushed her to the ground.

Sarah Loy, 27, of Worcester was holding a sign in defense of same-sex marriage amid a sea of green “Let the People Vote” signs when Larry Cirignano of Canton, who heads the Catholic Citizenship group, ran into the crowd, grabbed her by both shoulders and told her, “You need to get out. You need to get out of here right now.” Mr. Cirignano then pushed her to the ground, her head slamming against the concrete sidewalk.

"It was definitely assault and battery,” said Ronal C. Madnick, director of the Worcester County Chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union of Massachusetts. Police interviewed Mr. Madnick and several others moments after the incident.

As Ms. Loy lay motionless on the ground, crying, Mr. Cirignano ran back behind the lectern, where moments before he had opened the afternoon rally by leading a recitation of the Pledge of Allegiance.

Emphasising the words "under God" and Leaving out "indivisible", no doubt…

FBI Enters Probe Of Attacks On Lesbians

The Federal Bureau of Investigation has been asked to help with the investigation into two attacks on women Ada Oklahoma where homophobic epithets were marked on their bodies.

But apart from helping develop a profile of suspects in the case there is little the FBI can do.  Gays and lesbians are not protected under federal hate crime legislation.

Sara Kaspereit, 20, said she was grabbed by two men as she got out of her car in front of her home on Monday.  One of the men carved the word lesbian into her forearm.

Earlier this month a second woman said she was blindfolded, bound to a tree and the word "Hellbound” was written in marker pen across her chest.

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In previous homophobic attacks where the FBI has been asked for assistance there is little the bureau could do.

Last July the FBI was called for help in investigating an incident involving a burning cross in front of the home of a gay man in Athens, Tennessee.  After determining the incident was homophobic rather than race related the bureau declined to help. (story)

Federal investigators examined evidence but said that even if the people responsible are caught they cannot be prosecuted under federal law. (story)

Legislation that would have included crimes against gays and lesbians in federal hate crime laws was dropped in the Senate in May. (story)