Hate to be
gay in Seattle?
According to the latest data, detectives received 60 hate crime reports
in the first half of 2014. Of those, 20 rose to the level of malicious
harassment. Another 30 crimes had elements of bias. Detectives said the
most likely victims come from Seattle's gay community.
"The
anti-gay and lesbian category represents the most frequent bias crime in
our city," said Lt. Michael Kebba, adding that it accounts for 35
percent of all incidents.
And the incidents are believed to be getting more serious;
Shaun Knittel with Social Outreach Seattle....who also
writes for the Seattle Gay News, said even if bias crime numbers are
holding steady, the attacks themselves are more violent.
"As far as the crime, the numbers may not be worse, but (it's) the way the criminals have acted," Knittel said.
We wonder if Knittel spoke out against the treatment afforded prominent gay-basher (literally), the late Trayvon Martin in Florida a few months ago. We at HSIB are unaware of any support offered to victim George Zimmerman, who acted in self-defense against
the homophobic teenager Martin.
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