CRIME
Advocates Rally Around Beaten Gay Couple in Queens
Homophobes pounced on couple at Jackson Heights restaurant, staff stood by
BY MARK HALLUM & MATT TRACY
Elected offi cials and LGBTQ
advocates on September
24 rallied around
a gay couple who said
they were attacked by homophobes
inside of a Jackson Heights restaurant
this month while bystanders
refused to help.
The couple — Alberto Cruz and a
man who identifi es only as Miguel
— were eating at Pollos Mario at
81-01 Roosevelt Avenue shortly
after 4:30 a.m. on September 13
when four to six men started a
verbal dispute with them before
punching the duo, according to
cops. The couple was transported
to Elmhurst Hospital, where they
were treated for their wounds.
The couple stated that restaurant
employees at the time did not
assist them as they were being
pummeled by homophobes, fueling
outrage among advocates who
were in attendance at the September
24 rally.
“I’m still really concerned about
what happened,” Cruz said as he
recalled the early-morning scene.
“I’m still really afraid and really
nervous from the incident.”
A manager at the restaurant
Alberto Cruz (right) and Miguel, who said they were attacked at a restaurant in Jackson Heights, stand
together at a rally on September 24.
said on September 24 that he was
not certain of what happened during
the incident because he was on
vacation. An owner of Pollos Mario
could not be reached about the
staff’s alleged inaction.
“This was a really awful experience
that I wouldn’t wish on anybody
else,” Miguel said. “This kind
of violence needs to stop now, not
just for the LGBT community but
for everybody in general. However,
I would like to say that the LGBT
community is most vulnerable because
we still face a lot of discrimination
and violence in streets.”
No arrests have been made, but
the restaurant turned over surveillance
footage of the incident to authorities
and trans activist Bianey
Garcia shared the video on Twitter
. The NYPD confi rmed that the
case is being investigated as a hate
crime. Cops said suspects fl ed in
an unknown vehicle to “parts unknown”
following the attack.
Assemblywoman Catalina Cruz
of Queens was among those in
attendance at the rally alongside
trans activist Bianey Garcia, who
was the victim of a transphobic attack
in July while fi lming a documentary
near the same location.
The Queens lawmaker warned the
MARK HALLUM/ QNS
restaurant that their team must
show support to the LGBTQ community
if they wish to participate
in Queens Pride and “if you want
our money in your establishment.”
“Protecting our LGBTQI community
needs to be an everyday job
for all of us, not just for our neighbors,
but for our business neighbors,”
she said. “The real work is
when an incident like this happens
when you have to step in and take
action. It can’t just be about the
parties and it can’t just be about
the amazing events, it has to be
about the hard days when somebody
is being attacked.”
Garcia echoed Cruz’s sentiments
and pointed out that LGBTQ folks
make up a signifi cant portion of
the restaurant’s customer base —
especially early in the morning on
weekends. She said she spoke with
a manager and encouraged the establishment
to provide bystander
training to its staff.
In the meantime, Garcia said she
hopes the NYPD is able to make
headway on the case and nab the
alleged assailants.
“I think the police have to do
their work and to let them know
they cannot do this,” she said.
“What they did is not right.”
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