Servicemembers Targeted in Anti-Gay Attack

Two gay servicemembers and several civilians were attacked in Colorado Springs, Colorado, by a group of African Americans at a fast food restaurant in the early morning hours of July 2. The attackers hurled anti-gay invective and racial slurs as the assault took place, reported Denver ABC affiliate 7News on July 4.

The two members of the military are stationed at Fort Carson. They did not wish to be identified in the press for fear that they could be subject to the provisions of "Don't Ask, Don't Tell (DADT), the anti-gay law that forces GLBT troops to withhold their sexuality on penalty of being tossed out of the military.

Though Congress voted to repeal DADT late last year, the law remains in effect until the President, the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and the Defense Secretary certify that America's Armed Forces are ready to accept openly gay colleagues in uniform. That is not expected to happen until mid-summer at the soonest.

Colorado Springs police are investigating the attack as a hate crime, 7News reported.

The soldiers had left a nightclub with friends shortly before the attack. They were with friends who work as go-go-dancers at the club.

"(We) went to Albert Tacos after leaving the nightclub where we work at," one of the military men, referred to as Ted, told local news station KRDO-TV.

"As soon as we walked in, there was a group of African American males that walked in," the other servicemember, referred to only as John, said. "And they started a confrontation with us because of the fact that one of our go-gos was still in his outfit."

John said that the harassment was both anti-gay and racial in nature.

"A lot of racial slurs," John recalled. "A lot of hatred slurs towards, like, homosexuals." The assailants did not stop with verbal abuse, however.

"I ended up getting kicked in the head and in the ribs several times," John told the media. "I have six bruised ribs. And my right eye was completely swollen shut for about nine or 10 hours.

One of the non-military victims suffered a fractured jaw, the article said.

Colorado Springs local media source NewsFirst5 quoted one of the gay soldiers as saying that although the group tried to leave the scene peaceably before things got out of hand, the assailants pursued them to the parking lot. That's when the physical assault started.

"At that point it was basically a bum rush," the soldier told the news channel. "I turn around and my friend was getting stomped by six black males." The soldier went on to say, "Another female friend of mine was trying to fight off 3 or four men."

The article said that there were at least five men and two women in the gang that attacked the gay troops and their friends.

"I and a few other friends of mine that were there that night have fought for this country," the gay soldier who spoke with NewsFirst5 said. "You would [expect to] get respect for that, but it's apparent you don't."

The report said the individual with the broken jaw was bleeding profusely after the attack. Photos of the interior of the car in which he was taken to the hospital show the upholstery covered in blood.

"If based on ethnicity, gender or sexual orientation" the attack could lead to hate crimes charges a spokesperson for the Colorado Springs Police told the media.