\nMy friends and I were assaulted by this homophobic man<\/a> in downtown Salt Lake City last night. Anyone know him? The police are interested in having a chat<\/a> with him. #SaltLakeCity<\/a> @slcpd<\/a> @slcmayor<\/a> @EqualityUtah<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/1tPFSCADOp<\/a><\/p>\n
\u2014 Salonge Knowles (@saltrejo) February 17, 2019<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n<\/figure>\n
FOX 13 reports<\/a>: \u2018A charging document states Trejo was with a group of friends when he heard Alazo, who was on the phone nearby, make a comment about \u201cstanding by a gay<\/a> guy<\/a>\u201d. When Trejo reacted to that remark, Alazo became more belligerent and started calling Trejo and the other men<\/a> in the group \u201cfa\u2014-\u201c, along with making other derogatory comments directed at the women<\/a> in the group. Alazo then asked if Trejo was gay<\/a> and then hit the man<\/a> when he said that he was, the document states. The blow, captured on camera<\/a>, ended up striking Trejo\u2019s cell phone rather than his person. Alazo then shoved one of the women<\/a> and pulled out a knife, which he dropped, the document states.\u2019<\/p>\n
But Alazo won\u2019t be charged with a hate crime because Utah\u2019s laws don\u2019t address sexual orientation.<\/p>\n
Said Troy Williams of Equality Utah<\/a>: \u201cThe assailant is not being charged with a hate crime. Because Utah\u2019s current statute isn\u2019t working. It\u2019s broken. It\u2019s unenforceable.\u201d<\/p>\n
Salt Lake County District Attorney Sim Gill said the state\u2019s current hate crime law<\/a> \u201cis not worth the paper it\u2019s written on\u2026I would have to show that the person involved in criminal behavior had the intent to deny a constitutionally protected right\u2026It\u2019s so burdensome, we don\u2019t even go to it.\u201d<\/p>\n
KUTV adds<\/a>: \u2018There is a bill in the state legislature that could finally correct this.\u00a0Senate Bill 103<\/a>\u00a0has cleared its first legislative hurdle at the capitol and could soon get a vote. The bill provides for \u201can enhanced penalty for a criminal offense committed against a victim who is selected because of certain personal attributes.\u201d Those \u201ccertain personal attributes\u201d are final being specified in the law, and include sexual orientation and gender identity, as well as other attributes like race and religion.\u2019<\/p>\n
Watch FOX 13\u2019s report:<\/p>\n
The post This Man\u2019s Anti-Gay Attack Was Seen By Thousands on Twitter But He Won\u2019t Be Charged with a Hate Crime<\/a> appeared first on Towleroad Gay News<\/a>.<\/p>\n