Mayor Kasim Reed appeared on Fox 5 "Good Day Atlanta" show Tuesday morning and announced he was increasing the reward to $25,000 for clues in the brutal attack on Brandon White, a young Atlanta gay man.
"Every time we have raised the reward amount we have gotten more and more tips," Reed said. "I am not going to tolerate this kind of senseless violence."
There is definite tension between the Atlanta Police Department and the city's LGBT residents — the unconstitutional raid on the Atlanta Eagle continuing fallout and accusations the department didn't hire an applicant because he is HIV positive, just to name a few of the reasons for the bumpy relationship.
But there is a strong gay presence on the force as well, with two LGBT liaisons and Deputy Chief Renee Propes, a lesbian, heading up a major division of the force. The police have also made one arrest in the anti-gay beating of Brandon White.
So, for those interested in being part of the force, here's your chance — a career fair is set for Monday, Feb. 13, at 8 a.m. at the APD's Public Safety Headquarters, 226 Peachtree St. SW, Atlanta, GA 30303. Interviews and testing begin promptly at 8 a.m. on the second floor; anyone arriving after 8 a.m. will not be admitted.
State Rep. Rashad Taylor (D-Atlanta) announced at a rally today in the Pittsburgh Community that he will introduce a state hate crimes bill in response to a brutal attack on a gay man.
Taylor, who is openly gay, was one of many speakers at the rally that took place at Iconium Baptist Church, located across the street of JVC Grocery and Deli at 1029 McDaniel St. where the beating occurred Feb. 4. The attack was videotaped and uploaded to a hip hop website and went viral on Monday. Atlanta Police announced today one arrest in the crime has been made.
The APD and the U.S. Attorney's Office are investigating the crime as a possible hate crime because the victim, Brandon White, was targeted because he is gay.
U.S. Rep. John Lewis (D-Ga.), a strong ally for LGBT equality, spoke out today on the beating of Brandon White, a young man attacked on Feb. 4 in the Pittsburgh Community for being gay.
“There is not any room in our society for any crime against any citizen simply because of individual differences. All human beings are made by the same hands, so no one has the right to demean, humiliate or beat down another individual because he or she is different," Lewis said in the statement.
Savannah Pride's Executive Director Chris Brown spoke to WSAV-TV about the brutal beating of an Atlanta gay man and said this type of crime should not be happening today.
"We do like to think that we are progressive, and what happened there in Atlanta was disgusting and hateful and it sickens me to think that this is part of the struggle," he said.
Brandon White, 20, who is gay, was beaten Saturday, Feb. 4, by three gang members in an unprovoked attack. On Wednesday he spoke out about the attack and said he hopes what happens to him never happens to anyone else.
Despite concerns from some LGBT activists about the mental health of the victim of a brutal anti-gay beating in southwest Atlanta, the victim plans to speak at a press conference Wednesday and share his story, according to organizers with the HIV Intervention Project. Black LGBT activists are also organizing a Saturday rally in the Pittsburgh community where the beating took place.
Brandon White, 20, was identified late Tuesday by the Atlanta Police Department as the man beaten in a vicious attacked that was captured on video, posted to hip hop website WorldStarHipHOp.com, and then went viral via The Smoking Gun.
The Atlanta Police Department is conducting an official investigation into allegations of police misconduct during the arrest of two men at Blake's on the Park. Management of the popular Midtown gay bar, however, is praising the APD's handling of the incident.
APD Deputy Chief Renee Propes, who is openly gay, said during Monday's Atlanta Police LGBT Advisory Board meeting that an Office of Professional Standard investigation was opened this week after an allegation a police officer ordered a patron at the popular Midtown gay bar to delete video off his cellphone during the arrest of two unruly patrons.
The alleged misconduct occurred late Friday, Jan. 20, when APD was called to the bar for backup after a fight broke out, including one of the patrons arrested allegedly throwing a drink in the face of an off-duty officer working security and then allegedly knocking his glasses off his face. The patron also allegedly punched Blake's manager Doug Edmisten in the head.
A longtime security employee of Blake's on the Park said today there was no discrimination by the Atlanta Police Department against patrons of the bar after the APD was called in to help break up a fight on Friday night.
"No one was hurt, no one was taunted or were physically abused by anyone. The only people that got hurt was our staff, trying to apprehend the jerks that started the whole mess," Lynn Barfied told GA Voice. Known as "Mama Lynn" by many of the patrons of the bar, she has worked at Blake's for seven years.
"They [the APD] show up any time we need them at our bar for incidents just like this. It's not news to us, it's what we deal with every weekend. How the rumor of officers discriminating against anyone got started is beyond me," she added.
A fight at popular Midtown gay bar Blake's on the Park Friday night resulted in two arrests after an off-duty police officer was assaulted by a patron, according to police.
A preliminary police report released today by APD spokesperson Carlos Campos states:
Sometime Friday evening (or possibly early morning hours on Saturday), two males were asked by the manager to leave the establishment (Blake's). They refused. The manager called for the off-duty officer working at Blake's, who advised one of the individuals they would have to leave. One of the males refused and threw his drink in the officer's face and then punched him in the face.
"At some point, a call for assistance went out over the radio and several Zone 5 officers and a supervisor arrived on scene. One of the individuals damaged a third person's vehicle in the parking lot and was charged with Criminal Damage to Property. The first individual that punched the off-duty officer was charged initially with Felony Obstruction. Our LGBT Liaison officers have been notified of the incident.