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Police investigating alleged anti-gay attack on two men in NYC

Police investigating alleged anti-gay attack on two men in NYC

NEW YORK — Police are investigating an alleged anti-gay bias attack in New York City’s Chelsea neighborhood, the latest in a spate of attacks on gay men in New York City over the past several months.

WABC
Michael Felenchak (left) and Peter Nortman

Police say the incident occurred just after midnight Tuesday when two men approached the two male victims, Michael Felenchak, 27, and his partner Peter Nortman, 53.

Felenchak said he and Nortman were walking home from the movies when two men approached them, yelling, “Hey, what are you looking at faggots.”

“They just came and attacked us and started beating us,” said Felenchak. According to police, four other men joined in on the attack.

“It was six of them against the two of us,” Notman said, “typical of the cowards they are.”

“I was hit with brass knuckles down the side of my face, and I had contusions; had to have an MRI, and Michael received several stitches in his mouth where they punched us,” Notman said.

Watch a report from WPIX-TV:

“I am appalled by reports that two men were senselessly beaten in Chelsea simply because they were perceived to be gay,” said New York City Council Speaker and mayoral candidate Christine Quinn.

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“The cowardly individuals who committed this crime do not represent New Yorkers and our community will not be cowed by such violence,” she said.

Police said there have been no arrests and the investigation is ongoing.

In May, Mark Carson was murdered in the West Village last May after the attacker referred to the victim and his companion as “gay wrestlers.”

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