The Anti-Defamation League (ADL) today expressed outrage at the violent, brutal torture of a gay man in the Bronx.
Over a period of hours, the victim was reportedly stripped, whipped, burned and sodomized by a gang of nine attackers who lured him into an apartment after first assaulting two teenage boys.
Ron Meier, ADL New York Regional Director, issued the following statement:
“The beating and torture of a gay man in the Bronx is a horrific hate crime and a grim reminder of how unchecked bigotry can lead to the worst kind of brutality. Our hearts go out to the victims of this vicious gang. We join with people of good will across this city in praying for the victim’s full recovery.
This shocking crime affects the entire community and is yet another sad example of why we need hate crimes laws. We commend the New York City Police Department for immediately designating this horrific crime as a hate crime and addressing it as a high priority. We are confident that the perpetrators will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.
Unfortunately, we have seen a series of vicious hate crimes in our community and across the nation in recent months. Assaults on gays, immigrants, or any religious or racial minorities tarnish us all. We must do everything we can to educate our neighbors regarding the importance of fighting bias so that we can turn back this dangerous tide.”
