Two gay men say they were beaten up last weekend in Pittsburgh by a group of men who used antigay slurs.
Pittsburgh news stations report that Ben Stoviak and his partner, Aaron, were attacked at about 2:30 a.m. Oct. 6 outside Remedy, a gay bar in the city’s Lawrenceville section. The couple says that three men began yelling “faggots” at them as they walked out of the bar, and the pair yelled back that, yes, they were “faggots.” One of the men punched Stoviak and knocked him to the ground, continuing to kick and stomp him. Aaron attempted to shield his partner and also was kicked and stomped.
The trio fled in a black car. A witness wrote down the license-plate number, and police said they have identified at least one suspect, but no arrests had been made as of Wednesday.
Both victims went to the hospital after the incident and were treated and released. Stoviak reportedly still has a bootprint mark on his face.
Pennsylvania’s hate-crimes law does not include protections based on sexual orientation and gender identity.