The Stranger has details of a weekend attack in which drag performer Ade Connere says he was targeted for being in drag:
“I was in drag, and at first I think they thought I was a real girl. Then one of them said, ‘No! That’s a dude!’ and then they grabbed me and knocked me down… one of them lunged over me, so I kicked him in the face, got up and ran.”
“I escaped with a couple of bloody knees, a scrape on my side and a scraped wrist,” Ade says.
Connere told the Stranger he did not contact police following the early Saturday morning incident near 13th Ave and E Cherry because his last experience reporting a bashing to police “was more traumatic than the attack.”
CHS has reported on two current hate crime cases being pursued by the King County Prosecutor including this February attack on Boylston and an assault last July near Minor and Pine.
Meanwhile, the court proceedings for accused Neighbours arsonist Musab Musmari continue following the 30-year-old’s plea of not guilty to a charge of first degree arson. Musmari has since retained a new lawyer. According to court records, he’ll be represented by criminal defense lawyer Jeffrey Cohen. No hate crimes have been filed in the case.
Newly elected Seattle Mayor Ed Murray who is gay and lives on Capitol Hill has decried what he says is a rise in anti-LGBTQ violence. While many have called for more active efforts to counter gay-bashing and hate crimes, the most visible measures to date have been limited to rallies and awareness campaigns.
Doesn’t give you much confidence in the police does it?
Enough Seattle. Now were taking to blaming the police for something they weren’t even called for. Time to grow up.
You didn’t read the article did you?
“Connere told the Stranger he did not contact police following the early Saturday morning incident near 13th Ave and E Cherry because his last experience reporting a bashing to police “was more traumatic than the attack.””
If you think it’s more traumatic to involve the police than the actual incident you have a problem at least a public relations problem with your police department if people think reporting the crime is worse than the actual crime.
I can’t believe how sketchy that area is. Even after Seattle U took over most of those blocks. I hope Ade is OK. This is yet another very sad story.
Ade , I completely understand also why you chose not to involve the police. I’m glad you had the cordage to Speak out about what happened to you. I hope your ok and recovering from the attract. We need to hear the city speak out loud and clear this is no going to be tolerated . This for sure you think be a hate crime.
Can someone please explain to me why Musmari is not being charged with a hate crime? Apparently he had made some homophobic remarks, and he allegedly tried to kill a large number of people at a popular gay bar. How is that NOT a hate crime?
[…] performer Ade Connere told a reporter earlier this month that he was attacked for being in drag while walking near 13th and E Cherry. He said he didn’t report the crime to police because […]