Denver, CO, October 7, 2015…The Anti-Defamation League, responding to reports of an alleged hate crime against a man based on his perceived sexual orientation, condemned the incident and applauded law enforcement for its action investigating the incident as a possible hate crime.

 

The alleged assault took place on September 10 outside a bar near Colfax Avenue and Washington Street in Denver. According to reports, a 26-year-old man knocked the 32-year-old victim down and destroyed his cell phone. The suspect repeatedly used a gay slur during the attack, according to an affidavit in the case.

 

The Denver District Attorney has charged the suspect with third-degree assault and criminal mischief, as well as a felony count of a bias-related crime causing injury.

 

Scott L. Levin, ADL Mountain States Regional Director, issued the following statement:

 

The Anti-Defamation League is disturbed to learn of this alleged hate crime based on the victim’s perceived sexual orientation.

 

We applaud law enforcement officials from the Denver Police Department and Denver District Attorney’s office for taking quick and decisive action to investigate whether this was a bias-motivated attack.

 

Hate crimes have an impact far beyond the individual victim of the crime. When a victim is chosen because of his or her actual or perceived sexual orientation, other members of that group may feel unsafe and unwelcome.

 

For more than three decades, the ADL has spearheaded the enactment and enforcement of hate crimes laws across the country. ADL recently launched 50 States Against Hate, a new initiative to enact hate crime laws in the states that do not have them now and to make existing state hate crime laws more inclusive and comprehensive.