Post in gay basing by the Minnesota dept of Transportation employees

Aug 07 17:19 UTC

I received this message and wanted to make sure people knew about this violent
incident perpetrated by three 35W bridge workers.....someone told me they saw a
news piece about it last night on channel 5.
peace
leigh combs
powderhorn park
plant trees not statues and stadiums

Last night my brother-in-law, Karl, was gay bashed in downtown Minneapolis, MN.
He was walking home at about 11:30pm after leaving a well-known gay
establishment. Three men approached him and asked if he was a "faggot."  That
is the last thing he remembers.

Karl was kicked in the head and neck repeatedly and was transported to the
county hospital via ambulance. He has serious swelling and bruising of the
face, head and neck, along with stitches by his eye. Karl had to refuse the
majority of his medical care, including a CAT scan, because he doesn't have
health insurance. Needless to say, Karl and his wife Nikki (my sister) don't
have the means to pay for the ensuing medical bills.

The cops did catch Karl's primary attacker, but only because some bystanders
chased him down. This was an obvious hate crime, and you know what else?

This hate crime was paid for by the state of Minnesota.

The men who attacked Karl are all employed as members of the 35W Bridge Crew by
a company with a state department of transportation contract.  The taxpayers of
Minnesota pay the salaries of the men who viciously and hatefully attacked my
brother-in-law.  The primary attacker wore his crew jacket as he monstrously
attacked an unarmed man, allowing everyone in Minneapolis to see what, exactly,
the state was paying for.  Moreover, we have reason to believe that least one
of these men is already on criminal probation.

I'm worried that Karl's attacker is simply going to be given more probation,
that Nikki and Karl will get stuck with huge medical bills, and that no one
will be the wiser. I am worried that the people of Minnesota will continue to
enable men like these to stagger through the city.  What I would like is media
coverage, and I'm hoping people can help spread the word that this shit still
happens.  I've set up a Paypal account on behalf of Karl because people have
asked if they can donate a few dollars towards their expenses, and we are
incredibly grateful. We appreciate all the good thoughts people have been
sending. Keep them coming.

In the mean time, help me make noise.

-Wendy Brovold

Minneapolis Media Contacts:
Kare 11:  email | (763) 593-1111
KSTP 5:  email | (651) 646-5555

Minnesota Department of Transportation

<email obscured>

Suggested message to the Department of Transportation:
"Last night, three men employed by a company on contract with the Department of
Transportation walked up to an unarmed man in downtown Minnesota and asked
whether he was a "faggot."  That is the last thing he remembers, as moments
later the attackers pushed him to the ground and kicked at his neck and head
repeatedly until bystanders intervened.  Are these the types of people who are
ultimately being employed by Minnesota's DOT projects?  Is taxpayer money
subsidizing their late-night beatings?

Violence is unacceptable in any circumstances.  But when the taxpayers of a
state are paying the salaries of violent criminals, when the attacker is so
comfortable behaving like a monster that he continues to wear his crew jacket
while kicking a man's neck--then you must answer to the people of Minnesota.
You must answer to every man or woman who has ever been afraid to walk down a
street because of threats like this.  You must answer to any man or woman who
is now more afraid than before.  And you must answer to this man, his family,
and his community."