Austin Bogues

@AustinBogues

Christian Fuscarino said he was loading a box up with supplies Saturday afternoon when he heard a thud come from outside of the Garden State Equality office on Main Street. Then he noticed the cracked glass below the rainbow flag on the office's exterior.

Fuscarino, the executive director of the state's largest LGBTQ advocacy organization, dialed police.

Fuscarino told the Press that surveillance footage appears to show two males walking past the building and one kicking the glass door with his foot, shattering it. He called the vandalism an attack on the entire LGBTQ community. He had no cost estimate for the damage.

Asbury Park Police referred all questions on the incident to the Monmouth County Prosecutor's Office. A spokeswoman said she could not immediately provide information regarding the case. Fuscarino said he turned over the surveillance footage to the authorities.

"This kind of incident shows that hate knows no boundaries. It is not restricted by geography, even in a state as historically progressive as ours. While we have been shaken by this attack, the LGBT community in New Jersey will not be intimidated, nor will it be silenced. We will continue to fight for equality for all our members, and for any individual or group who finds themselves the victim of a similar hateful and dangerous act," Fuscarino said in a written statement to the Press.

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The attack drew condemnations from elected officials across the city and state, in remarks circulated by Garden State Equality:

‎"Garden State Equality is on the front lines of the fight to advance equality for all. An attack against any community is an attack against us all. I condemn acts of hate against all communities, whether Jewish, Muslim or LGBT, in the strongest possible terms. We must stand united with love against the ‎shadow of hate that has been cast over our great nation‎" said U.S. Sen. Cory Booker, D-New Jersey.

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U.S. Rep. Tom MacArthur, R-Ocean, said in the statement that he called Fuscarino shortly afterward to check on his well-being. "There is no room in our society for this. Period." MacArthur said.

Garden State Equality opened its headquarters in Asbury Park last summer, citing its central location and thriving LGBTQ community. The organization's previous headquarters was in Essex County.

"Asbury Park has been a haven for the LGBT community for decades. That vandalism does not represent the town as a whole & strengthens our resolve to stand with our gay, lesbian, bi, and trans brothers and sisters," Asbury Park City Deputy Mayor Amy Quinn stated in the release.

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"It is a sad time in our country when Americans must fear their neighbors, we must work to respect each other more than ever before. No American citizen should be targeted with violence, the LGBT community here in New Jersey should be as safe as any. All victimization makes each of us less safe, let's work to be vigilant and protective of each other," said Assemblyman Tim Eustace, D-Bergen.

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Austin Bogues abogues@gannettnj.com; 732-643-4009 For more news about Asbury Park and LGBTQ issues, visit app.com

