Hell’s Kitchen gay bar “VERS,” attacked three times in one week. Local authorities are receiving critique for being reluctant to launch a hate crime investigation. The latest attack, which took place on Nov. 19, was captured by surveillance footage and showed an unknown man hurling a brick at the establishment. This was the third time in one week that someone threw a brick at the bar and fourth total. It is unknown if the same person is responsible for all of the attacks.
Members of the community are supposedly outraged by the lack of action taken by authorities. According to a report from the Gothamist, the bar’s management has reported the attacks to police but detectives dismissed the suggestion that the attacks were motivated by homophobia and advised against reporting the incidents to the Hate Crimes Task Force. “We could be targeted because we’re a gay bar,” bar management reportedly told authorities, to which they allegedly responded “well you can’t know that.”
Below, see the surveillance footage of the latest attack on the club.
Last night, a man threw a brick through the window at VERS while patrons were inside. This is the third time this has happened THIS WEEK! If anyone recognizes him or has any information, please let me know. pic.twitter.com/N1c8nQxiTO
— ryan (@thisismeryan13) November 20, 2022
In a statement that followed Saturday’s tragedy at Club Q in Colorado Springs, New York Gov. Kathy Hochul announced that state police will increase its protections for the LGBTQ+ community.