Group warns of beatings targeting gay men near downtown Spokane

E-mail reports of recent beatings near downtown Spokane targeting gay men prompted a victims advocate group to post fliers warning of attacks and reminding residents of available resources.

Police say they don’t know anything about the attacks, and those responsible for the fliers say there’s a reason for that: The victims are often ashamed.

“It’s people who don’t want to be identified openly as being gay,” said Fred Swink, publisher of Stonewall News. “It’s kind of like the perfect victim, honestly, because it’s almost a given that they won’t talk.”

The newspaper, written for the gay and lesbian community, detailed one man’s account of his attack in its most recent issue. Kevin Harford told the paper two men who identified themselves as members of the Aryan Nations approached him after he left a Third Avenue bar about 2 a.m. June 19.

The 36-year-old, who could not be reached for comment for this article, told the Stonewall News the men beat him and stole his wallet while taunting him with anti-gay slurs. But the report from the Spokane Police Department detailing the attack says nothing about the victim’s sexual orientation or any verbal abuse.

While the crime rate in the area between Fourth and Third avenues under Interstate 90 has increased recently as more people gather there, nothing indicates a surge or that the crimes target a specific group, said Officer Jennifer DeRuwe, spokeswoman for the Spokane police.

“After looking into it, I don’t exactly know what they’re talking about,” she said.

Swink said he heard about the attacks from a co-worker of Harford’s mother. He’s talked to victims of two earlier attacks, but neither was willing to come forward, Swink said. He sent an e-mail through the newspaper’s mailing list warning men to be careful.

Grant Stancliff, education coordinator with the advocate group, Lutheran Community Services, saw the e-mail and worked with Swink to make the fliers posted in the area of the reported attacks. “This is a crime that does not just terrorize one person, it terrorizes an entire community,” Stancliff said. “If somebody’s attacked for who they are, something they feel they can’t change, it’s going to strike very deep.”

DeRuwe said residents should tell police about all crimes and include all the details.

“I don’t want to cause alarm in the community unless I know that there is a threat,” DeRuwe said.