A 26-year-old gay man says he and a friend were the victims of a hate crime outside the bars on 4th Street in downtown Austin early Sunday morning.
Bobby Beltran said he and his friend had just left Rain, a gay bar, at about 1:30 a.m. When they hugged each other goodbye on the sidewalk, some men in a passing vehicle yelled, “Fucking faggots, stop that queer shit!”
After Beltran yelled at the men to “get out of here,” all five of them jumped out of the vehicle and attacked him and his friend. Beltran said he fought back but suffered cuts and bruises and a black eye. His friend may have suffered a broken jaw. The attackers quickly jumped back in the vehicle, which was parked in the middle of the street, and drove off.
“I’ve never in my life been in any kind of violent situation, especially a hate crime, so it’s been pretty traumatic,” Beltran said. “Austin is supposed to be a gay haven, especially on 4th Street. What scares me even more is that nobody even helped.”
Beltran, an activist who helped organize this year’s QueerBomb in Austin, said it was at least the third anti-gay hate crime in the city this year. In a high-profile case in February, two gay softball players were attacked near Austin City Hall.
“I’m just trying to get the word out there that this is going on in Austin and it’s not safe right now,” Beltran said. “I come from Brownsville, Texas. Even down there I was out since I was 13, and I never got picked on in high school. To find out that it’s here in Austin on 4th Street, and knowing that fellow gay men were not doing anything about it, is just shocking.”
Beltran said the police responded and took a report but didn’t seem too concerned about the crime and haven’t contacted him since then.
He said the attack lasted for about three minutes and was witnessed by at least 20 people, but none of them tried to help. Beltran said he yelled out the license plate of the vehicle as he ran after the attackers, but no one wrote it down and he doesn’t remember it.
“It was the most unsafe I’ve ever felt in my entire life, knowing that not even my community stood up,” Beltran said. “I’m so afraid to go back down there.”
Beltran described the five attackers as three black males, one Hispanic male and one white male. He said the vehicle was an older-model gold Chevrolet that was low to the ground and had fancy rims.
Witnesses are asked to call the Austin Police Department at 512-974-5000.
Hate knows no borders
Black guys in an old chevy with rims. Not surprised. But in my experience they’re usually not something you even encounter on W 4th.
Let me get this straight (so to speak), “He said the attack lasted for about three minutes and was witnessed by at least 20 people, but none of them tried to help.”!!!!!!!!! 20+ homosexuals and/or allies again 5, with the get away car right there, unattended, stationary in the middle of the road? So, those 20 worthless queens proved that all homosexuals should be beaten up with impunity, anytime, anywhere. Where is this so-called, “gay community” when it is really needed? I have seen queens do violence to each other over someone els…e sitting at “their” table or when a waiter gets a cocktail order wrong … yet, these cowardly queens couldn’t be bothered to stop texting everyone they know that two guys were getting beaten up for being gay and at least write down the license plate number of the perpetrators. This proves that queers are not men. Now, if this had taken place in front of a lesbian bar …
I don’t understand why no one helped the two guys? The gays at those bars must be to self involved! I stood up to a black male that was flirting with an under aged lesbian; she felt uncomfortable. I got involved! We have to get involved!
So much for the myth of Austin being the “liberal island in the big, red state of Texas.” My friends (a gay male couple in the 40’s) finally sold their home in South Austin after enduring years of homophobic assaults. They relocated to Dallas (White Rock Lake) and were welcomed and never had a problem. Austin’s “liberal bona fides” has always been overrated and mythological.
So sad this happened again in the same place. For all we know, it was the same people.
I’m fairly certain I’ve seen a truck matching that description in the warehouse district before – if I recall correctly it was either along 5th or on Congress, may have seen it on both, so I’m guessing those bigots live in Austin. While there could be more then one car like that, the vehicle sounds pretty tacky so probably only a few of them in central Texas.
This is sad.. I wish I would have been there.. I would have stood up.. at Wide Receiver go screw yourself and grow up..
Please, please…Stop your not necessary racist comments…As a person of color I do not appreciate them…And about Wide Receiver, I am not even gonna try..that person is homophobic the use of “homosexual” says it all…
Let’s get real for a minute. Hate crimes happen everywhere, sadly. But countywide, hate crimes are actually down this year. So, why are we seeing this repeat in Texas, especially Austin, so-called liberal paradise?
Austin may be more liberal than most places in the South, but it’s still Texas. We ain’t talking about Chicago, Seattle or P-town here, people. If living in states like Texas, West Virginia, Alabama or Mississippi, you need protection with you if you are openly gay, during nighttime hours. It’s just that simple. Pepper spray, a pocket knife, brass knuckles, or even a gun. If you live in homophobic states you need to realize that people may come after you, and protect yourself at all times.
The description of the attackers, no surprise. Ghetto, thugs, probably have jail records or will eventually, wayward, socially inept, mentally corrupt. The gays who didn’t come to defend these two men being attacked are without any sort of defense of their actions. If someone is in trouble, you help. That’s just the right thing to do. But really, I’m not surprised no-one did anything. First of all, they are completely caught off guard. Secondly, they are scared of their safety, and scared of these violent thugs. Thirdly, when living in a place like Texas, homophobia becomes a part of you. You become numb to it.
Hopefully these wastes of flesh who committed this act are found and Mr. Beltran and his friend will recover from their injuries, physical and emotional. The fact he is an out gay activist tells me he won’t let this go quietly.
A group from the LGBT community need to take a “license to concealed carry” class and send out a press release to that effect. Let the news come do a story showing some big sissies and butch girls at shooting practice. Let people know that some gays will be packing and they don’t which ones, so go head and try some of this craziness and see if they get shot.
Oh, and I want to explain, being a ghetto lowlife thugged trash isn’t really about race, it’s about culture. These “men” obviously had no proper parental guidance and associated themselves with bad people in bad situations early in their lives, whether by choice or not, which leads to them being disaffected as adults.
Wow…widereceiver: seriously weak, man. I am sure I can show you quite a few “queens” who will more than gladly show you exactly what true men they are. We are fit, active, strong, and will gladly take you on anytime. Bring it, you myopic, insidious, hate-spewing moron.
And as for those who stood idly by as these men were beaten, you do need to grow balls and defend your gay brothers. Your shameful inactivity is just as disgusting as the aforementioned idiot’s unfounded bigotry.
Wow this completely puts me in shock. I was there a week ago at that same bar with my friend. I’m from Killeen (like 1.5 hrs away) so that was my first time on 4th street. I always thought Austin was a more safe place. I’m mad that no one bothered to help them. I know I would have jumped in and helped the guys out and my friend would have too. We cant argue or fight for equal rights if we wont even stand up for eachother. WE have to get together, help each other out and if it calls for it, defend each other. Otherwise nothing will change.
You mean correctly using the term “homosexual” makes me homophobic? I have defended people from attacks. I have defended myself from attacks without any help from the queens in the bar. What have you done? Scream like a queen who has broken a nail?
After 11 years in Austin it doesn’t surprise me at all, makes me sad as hell, but doesn’t surprise me, gays in Austin wouldn’t piss on you if you where on fire let alone step up and do something to help when they see their fellow LGBT peeps getting pounded on by a bunch of F**ks. I bet he even knew a few of the on lookers. I have been called fag, queer, homo, fairy more times in a month on 4th street than I was ever in the years I spent Idaho, Nevada, OC California, or anyplace else I’ve lived and this is why I stepped out of the gay community in Austin. Now I buy my time until the day I can move back to a safe place.
what to say…well as long as i’ve lived here I have seen and heard it all. People do pass by and make comments but why respond back. I’m not being insensitive to his situation but had he taken the high road and not responded they would have kept going. I could see why no one would have jumped in. Had it been the guys just got out and started on the guy for no reason but he was gay I could see that but responding back to people you don’t know that late at night and with drinking involved what do you expect. Sorry this is not a gay bashing but lets see who is more of a man.
Ok Wide Receive is a jerk! I’m gay and have defended myself a few times! Some gays, just like straight people can be self-involved…. If that happened in Dallas, those guys would have gotten their asses kicked or at least bitch slapped!
Don’t say this means African-Americans in Texas are more homophobic just because of the last two Austin attacks. Throughout 2010 the same thug types have committed homophobic assaults from Atlanta to NYC, so don’t blame Texas.
I have a suggestion … go make you own Stonewall.
Kevin: Really? Ask Dallasite Jimmy Lee Dean how that “bitch Slap” worked for him. Wait just check this link and see for yourself: https://www.lgbtqnation.com/2009/08/2nd-trial-gets-underway-in-dallas-hate-crime-attack/ . Rather than divide ourselves by city we need to stand together and demand the state legislature and Governor take these crimes serious.
I have lived in Austin for 6 years now and I love this city. As an obviously queer woman I haven’t had too much trouble. But please people remember that this is still Texas and that this kind of thing can happen anywhere right now. We have made a lot of news and things are getting better for us but that also creates a backlash of those that would like us all back in the closet. Those that are against us know where to find us and Austin’s 4th St. is one of those places. Please don’t get too comfortable anywhere as a human being or as a gay person. Be out, be proud, be aware. I am so sorry that the community outside of Rain did not stand up for its brothers. I would hope that if I were there I would have helped. The only way that we can make a true differnce is to stand up for each other. I am sending all my love and prayers to my brothers that went through this. May we all be a part of making this world better for the next generation.
So he can remember the exact # of guys… The race and gender..The type of vehicle—color, model, and that it had nice rims… How many people who were around and did not help and how long the attack happened but was unable to remember the license plate #?? I am also shocked to think that no one would help them. Sounds a little weird to me…
It saddens me that not one person helped him out. I hope if I am ever in that situation I would jump right in to help the victim out. Hell at least get the damn license plate…
On the news this mid day 4 hate crimes in Austin 2 in El Paso and none in Fort Worth? Yet Austin as the more liberal than most cities in Texas ???? we have more hate crimes. Hell I feel safer in Blanco!!! We as a city haven’t been able to stand together for decades how can anyone think we have a chance of getting the state to stand together. In this day of cell phone cameras and video iPhones not one person pull out theirs to document this that is more surprising to me than anything.
I am so tired of hearing this. I had two of my friends punched repeatedly until they were unconscious just for walking downtown together. Because they were knocked out their statements are considered unreliable by the police; so nothing is to be done!?
Stand up for others or you could be next! It is a scary situation, conflict. anything could happen. What would you do if it was your brother or daughter getting beaten; would you help then? Well they are your mothers and sons; getting beaten & hated against every day for just living. What are we going to do….nothing? is that really the answer? How about we all think about that next time. The next time you see something like this and do nothing; I hope that burn of guilt never leaves your gut. STAND UP PEOPLE!!! It only takes one & it will spread. WE ARE NOT INFERIOR! We need to join together, we are all one people. As for me I will be waiting.
John Wright, after reading the comments from Francis and SuzyQ above i urge you and others at the Voice to educate us, your readers, a lot more about reality. Educated articles may have been published in the past but they are needed again. The perceptions expressed in some comments are as stereotypical, delusional and dangerous as the perceptions of the attackers.
We can’t rely on the police, ultimately. What’s needed is extensive, long-term organizing and the creation of a gay “reserve militia” that’s able to respond very rapidly with extreme violence. It’s the only language homophobic thugs can understand.
Put it this way: the moment thugs begin an attack, a large crowd gathers to drive them away and destroy whatever property left behind. In this case, the crowd should have seized their car and burned it on the spot.
I imagine that if we could pull this off — and it would take quite a bit of work — these attacks would end very soon.
“…the attack lasted for about three minutes and was witnessed by at least 20 people, but none of them tried to help. ”
THIS IS OUTRAGEOUS! Where is your pride, your sense of communoty, your simple decency?
Why don’t gays spend less time trying to be fabulous like the stereotypes they see on Sex and the City, and more time being men. My dad told me when I was a teenager “I’m not gonna say some mf-er won’t kick your ass, but you damn better not make it easy!!!”
So… where are these supposed witnesses? no offense here but this sounds of an activist trying to get attention. 20 peopple just stood around and did nothing, no ones gone to the police to offer help? No cell phone pics of the perps? Sorry too many flase stories of people BS for attention these days.
What happened early in the morning after Christmas in Austin, Texas is shameful and unacceptable. Further, it is ridiculous that the thugs haven’t been identified. Austin recently approved the installation of surveillance cameras along the 6th Street entertainment district. I walk across 6th Street several nights a week; there are bicycle cops stationed strategically along the entire strip. If this had happened on 6th, the offenders would have been tazered, detained, facing severe felony charges. Austin has a very small gay district compared to Dallas and despite its “liberality,” doesn’t do much to protect the concentration of its gay community. I was out and around Cedar Springs in Dallas through the 90’s and never felt threatened or at risk of a beating. After that, never felt at risk in Chicago, Illinois either. Not sure exactly what I would have done on 4th Street if I’d been there that night, but I know would have done SOMETHING. Pick up a brick, call the cops, started punching not knowing what the results might be . . . but SOMETHING. Austin is now my home town; there’s clearly a breakdown here between its general acceptance and its protection of the general population. Whenever there is an exceptional acceptance of diversity, there’s always going to be an exceptionally extreme unacceptance. So why doesn’t the Austin Police Department understand this, and why aren’t they a bit more proactive? This is part of the dynamics of a large city. Austin is no longer a po-dunk town, but our police department still operates like a little college town. One more comment: I had to go to the Dallas press to find coverage of this incident. Austin didn’t publicize it until it was published on a police “blotter” way after-the-fact. Last night, the evening news was full of “fluff,” mentioning “how to go green,” recycling, etc. It was obviously a slow news day, but no follow-up on this gay-bashing in the heart of downtown. Not even five seconds. Shameful and unacceptable.
1. Did this really happen? I would think one of the four networks would of said something, ANYTHING!
2. So why did so many people just stand around and let this happen, without so much as getting a plate number?
I hate to say it but it just may of been a hoax.. probably not cause of the mention of the police blotter. Still, very very hard to believe this was NEVER reported on ANY local media. I really cant understand why… Was the street full of cowards??? If that’s the case then there will be more attacks, knowing NOTHING will happen. Get a spine people! Grow a pair and take a stand against these thugs. Don’t make it easy for them. This kind of thing just infuriates me!!
” the vehicle was an older-model gold Chevrolet that was low to the ground and had fancy rims.” So how hard is it to find a pimped out gold sedan in Austin? The APD and the LGBT community should be on the lookout for these assailants, they both must work together to catch these guys!
Gold is not a standard factory produced color for a Chevrolet. Never has been, nor is the low-ride or the fancy rims. This is not a car that we see in Austin very often. These folks came from the outside, and certainly, despite their idiocy, they’ll have sense to re-modify the Chevrolet if/when they return to 4th Street Austin. A.S., the local media did cover the incident — too little too late. They interviewed the victims on Monday, but little coverage beyond that. And yes, you are so right about getting a plate number. That’s the first thing any responsible bystander does when something like this happens: get the plate number and record it. (Of course, they can change that, too.) I’m thinking the citizens of Austin should call the police department on a daily basis to see what follow-up has been done.
Let me get this straight, 2 drunk guys are coming out of a bar in the middle of the night in a urban center and start talking smack to car full of 5 other drunk guys…., and these two Einsteins are surprised they got biotch slapped…LMAO
Not the sharpest tools in the shed and their lucky it was not more of a serious beat down that could have ended in true tragedy.
Instead of blaming ‘queers’ or pointing fingers, perhaps we can LEARN TO PREVENT this type of tragedy?
In these situations, there is only time to react. If people didn’t know what to do (Most had probably never even seen a attack like this) they will stand there frozen and in shock. Not even one person thought to yell, get their camera phone out, etc.
The GLBT community needs to address this issue. Perhaps publish a short list of things to do in these situations. Please, let’s not let our internalized homophobia rage at people who did the same thing most straight people would do…stand there frozen in shock.
I lived in Austin 6 years and it wasn’t as welcoming as i
thought it would be. I’m still very surprised that no one tried to
help.
There were 162 aggravated assaults in downtown Austin in
2009. If you engage in yelling matches in the street with strangers
at 1:30 AM chances are good that you are going to be involved in
one of those 162 assaults.
Austin, Texas isn’t gay friendly or Hispanic friendly. It’s
an intolerant city with a lot of social problems (e.g., social
stratification, white supremacy, drugs, alcoholism, thugs, gang
stalking, etc.) The victim stated that he was out since 13 in south
Texas and never got into trouble; this shows how bigoted Austin,
Texas is. It’s a dangerous city. I lived there for a while and was
picked on and treated unfairly at UT Austin and other areas of the
city. The bigotry against Hispanic people is very obvious to me.
And there is a lot of segregation. Homophobia is another issue. If
you are a socially liberal minority and you must live in Texas then
I suggest you live in San Antonio, Dallas, or Houston. Forget
Austin.
Mark’s comment above seems to describe an educated response to the attack. Jake and Francis’ comments seem full of self pity and offer the opposite response.
The Voice has published things to do in an attack. They’ve also published things to do to prevent attacks from happening such forming crime watch groups. I hope the Voice understands their ability to address this issue and publish the information again if they want to do more than provide tabloid news to their readers.
Bob Anderson sounds as delusional, uneducated and biased as the attackers.
To be honest; I think Alan is an uneducated provocateur with an inferiority complex. Gays and Hispanics will always be treated unfairly because of white Protestant supremacy. It is the minorities’ responsibility to speak up and demand change and respect. It is their responsibility to reform those in the liberal community who are trying to silence debate and tear down the community. And it is about time people wrote about the inequalities and injustices that can happen in any society. It is true that Austin is not the best city in Texas. Austin falls behind the greatness of Dallas, San Antonio, Houston, Corpus Christi, El Paso, Alpine, and Denton. Austin is one of the most decadent, fat, vapid, drugged up, drunken, backwater, backwoods, pretentious, and indoctrinated cities in the nation. But that should not stop the socially liberal minorities from standing up, speaking up, and creating a great community of liberals to thrive in. Compassion and love are the only ways to overcome these difficult social problems.
Perhaps next time you wont yell back. I am gay myself but I wouldn’t be yelling back at a car full of guys knowing I am out numbered.
I don’t believe in silencing yourself, taking the degradation, and not yelling back. I also don’t believe in violence or in violent self-defense being what it means to be a “man.” What should have happened is the 20 bystanders should have all helped try to pull the attackers, nothing more, nothing less.
The same thing happened to me in Austin around the corner last weekend