NYC Rally Addresses Anti-Trans Violence

Elected officials and community members gathered in Woodside, Queens, NY Thursday night for a rally in support of a transgender woman who was assaulted with a hammer by a man who made anti-LGBT remark and stole her purse. WABC 7 News reports.

"We will never ever accept or tolerate violence against the trans community in Woodside or anywhere in the city of New York," said City Councilman Jimmy Van Bramer. "We are a diverse, and very, very loving community."

"One attack against the trans community is an attack against every single one of us, we can never allow an attack on the trans community to go unmet without a furious response," Van Bramer added.

Jackson Heights Post reports that Public Advocate Letitia James brought up other incidences of anti-trans violence including the beating death of Islan Nettles in 2013. James pointed to the sobering statistic of 18 murders of transgender persons in the United States this year alone.

"This type of hate has no place in our city, and for the trans community and the LGBT community, and for all marginalized community, we stand together against hate and there are more of us than those who hate," James said to the gathered crowd. "Hate always, always, always loses, and love always wins," she added.