Thousands Rally Against Anti-LGBT Violence in New York City

Responding to five bias-related attacks in the past month, including one fatality, New York City's LGBT community turned out in force to demand an end to antigay assaults.

In response to a spate of recent antigay assaults in New York City, thousands of LGBT people, including elected officials, gathered in midtown Manhattan Monday to denounce the violence.

Left: Out City Council speaker Christine Quinn (second left, with head turned) and DOMA plaintiff Edie Windsor (center, white hair) march with the NYC Anti-Violence Project on Monday.

Participants chanted, "Hey hey, ho ho, homophobia's got to go," as they marched past several locations where gay men have been assaulted in recent weeks. Out City Council speaker Christine Quinn and DOMA plaintiff Edie Windsor joined the crowd calling for an end to the violence. LGBT and antiviolence organizations including GLAAD, the NYC Anti-Violence Project, the city's LGBT Community Center, and the Transgender Legal Defense and Education Fund announced plans to participate in Monday's rally, which began at 5:30 p.m

There's been a disturbing increase in anti-LGBT violence in New York in recent weeks. On Saturday, Mark Carson, 32, was gunned down in Greenwich Village after being accosted by three men who yelled antigay slurs at him. After asking if Carson wanted "to die here," the assailant allegedly shot Carson in the head. Carson later died at Beth Israel Hospital. Although the suspects initially fled, Elliot Morales, 33, was quickly taken into custody by police, who say they plan to charge the man with a hate crime.

Gay men have been attacked in five separate incidents over a three-week period in New York City. One attack occurred May 10 and another May 5, both near Madison Square Garden.