WATCH: Up to 1,000 March Against Anti-Gay Hate Crime in Austin

Nearly one thousand people in Austin, Texas marched against hate and retraced the steps where two gay men were bashed after leaving a gay bar last week.

The Austin Statesman:

"Ignorance is not the way. Fear is not the answer. Love will conquer hate," one of the victims, Emmanuel Winston, told the crowd. "Hate will not be tolerated, and we will not be silenced." Winston and Matthew Morgan said they were walking to a City Hall parking garage from Oilcan Harry's on Feb. 20 when four men followed and assaulted them. Winston and Morgan said they were wearing jerseys from the "Shady Ladies," a gay softball league, and that the attackers used slurs about their sexual orientation. Police Chief Art Acevedo attended the rally Saturday and said police were still investigating the attack and that it will be up to prosecutors to decide whether there is enough evidence to charge the suspects with a hate crime. He asked the marchers and City Council members present at the rally to push for high-resolution video cameras downtown, saying that video of the four suspects captured on a City Hall camera was grainy. Police released that video Friday.

No arrests so far. And bravo to Austin for standing up to these thugs. Via Towlerload, watch KVUE's report WHEN YOU JUMP ...

Comments

[Da'Realist One]

DAMN!!!!!
And it had to be "us" actin' a fool!

Why Lawd Why?

[Buckeye in Texas]

Ok I live in Texas and didn't even know about this!! They must not have reported on it in the Dallas Morning News..

[Dallas Cowboy]

@ Da Realist:

I noticed that too. It seems like "we" are always acting out, especially on this gay issue. I was kinda sad to hear the 4 wanted men are black, but heh...it is what it is. Hope they find those MFs.

[Dallas Cowboy]

@ Buckeye:

I saw some one or two reports in the local news. But you know Austin (and Houston!) treats gays much better than we do in the Metroplex!

[Cedric]

@Buckeye
now this story was on the local news because I saw it but I did not know about the rally not unless it got overlooked in my inbox. Yeah that's the Warehouse District and there are at least 3 gay clubs and a whole sort of straight clubs. I am surprised that no one saw the incident because that area is busy until 5am. Yeah I notice it is populated by yuppies in all the condos in the area. I am so sorry that it happened but this is surely not the first time Gays have been targeted in the area. One occurence was when a gay police officer was bashed. I think they caught the guys who did it.

[CC]

A Buckeye-- I didn't know eaither- Dallas Morning News needs to catch up!

[Cedric]

And I will note that the Police Chief here in ATX is good at his job and he is a fair minded person. And note I see two peeps I know in the pic!

[Diva1961]

There are two things i will say about this:
1) Cedric dear , it is your responsibility then to call in the crime tips about the two that you recognize to the poice. If it was you attacked you would want the same kindness shown to you. There are no reasons not to do this act of humanity.
2) Why do black gays never start big marches for our injured and attacked ones? Why do other poeple seem to organize yet, black gay men attacked and killed from DC to Memphis to wherever, are rarely to never acknowledged through people who are willing to march and stand up and OUT for each other? To paraphrase Essex Hemphill, "If they can march to save the lives of whales and other things, why can't people march for the lives of black gay men? Aren't our lives worth saving?"

[Da'Realist One]

"If they can march to save the lives of whales and other things, why can't people march for the lives of black gay men? Aren't our lives worth saving?"

You betta preach on that one Diva!

I can't answer your question because I'm still asking that one myself... Maybe when enough Brothas catch a breather from the sex parties, bath houses, clubs, and black (sex) pride locations, we could probably gather up a few people here and there to make a lil' somthing happen.