Former Shampoo Party Promoter Gay Bashed in NYC [Updated]

Dan Contarino becomes victim of the recent wave of hate crimes sweeping through the Big Apple.

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What on Earth is happening in New York City? The metropolis is supposed to be the epicenter of LGBTQ rights in New York, but lately it has become a veritable gay-bashing battle zone. Over the weekend, reports surfaced about a man who was fatally shot in Greenwich Village — allegedly for being gay — and today I’m getting word that the string of abuse has hit close to home.

Bruce Yelk at nightlifegay.com reports that Dan Contarino, former promoter of Shampoo Nightclub’s Shaft Fridays, was assaulted last night in the East Village, at Avenue D and 4th Street — on the same night that a rally was held in NYC in response to five other bias-related attacks in the last month. According to Yelk, witnesses have said that Contarino was kicked and beaten by an attacker who was yelling “faggot.” Those same witnesses said they rushed to his aid, but the assailant got away.

Yelk reports that Contarino is shaken up with a nasty black eye. I reached out to him for comment, but haven’t heard back yet. Stay tuned for updates.

UPDATE [4:54 p.m., 5/21/2013]: Contarino still hasn’t returned my calls, but I’ve been following a string of comments on his Facebook feed. Here’s what he’s reported so far:

1. “THANKS FOR CALLS…. GAY BASHED LAST NITE…. back from small surgery…. CHEST XRAYS THIS AM…. suspect still at large… police n media waiting to interview me… U JUST WANNA CRY N MOVE ON….”

2. “UGH…. THIS IS JUST AS BRUTAL AS the ATTACK…. 3 hours… 8 detective interviews… now waiting for Hate Crimes Unit main interview… THEN BACK TO HOSPITAL….”

3. “NBC JUST CALLED ME… another HATE CRIME ATTACK in SOHO this morning !!”

4. “Still at precinct…. I NEED A FAB BIG PAIR OF D&G or GUCCIS during this healing process… LOL”

5. “Just signed official police report at 4pm…. the incorrect one some newsreels posted earlier… INCORRECT”

6. “NYC POLICE COMMISSIONER HOLDING PRESS CONFERENCE FOR ATTACKS…. been informed to expect all newsstations to interview me at hospital tonite..”

UPDATE [10:57 a.m., 5/23/2013]: G Philly chats with Dan Contarino. Read the conversation here.

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