Chicago Police Attempt to Ignore Serious Hate Attack
Police don't want to take report from leading gay activist

from Chicago Anti-Bashing Network 

Serious Hate Attack Against Leading Gay Activist
Chicago Cops Abet Attacker

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Shouting anti-Gay slurs, and claiming to be doing the will of Allah/God, a knife-wielding assailant charged at leading Chicago Gay activist Ifti Nasim at about 8 p.m., Monday, March 12 at Shan Restaurant, 5060 N. Sheridan Road, Chicago. Thanks to the courageous intervention of two other patrons who restrained the attacker, Nasim suffered no physical injuries in what could have been a fatal assault.

Nasim, as a member of Chicago's Gay and Lesbian Hall of Fame and President of Sangat, the South Asian Lesbian/Gay/Bi/Trans organization, is well known in the general LGBT community. As an out of the closet Gay man, writer, and poet who publishes frequently in the South Asian press, he also is one of the most prominent gay people in the general South Asian population.

"Calling me a 'faggot-bottom' and other derogatory names, the man threatened to stab me in the ass to rid the world of a sinner in the name of Allah," Nasim told Chicago Anti-Bashing Network's Bob Schwartz.

With the assailant restrained by two other diners, Nasim called the police. But when they arrived, he discovered he had an additional problem. Incredibly, despite the fact that the attack took place in a restaurant full of witnesses, the cops initially refused to accept Nasim's complaint, telling him that since the altercation was between two Pakistanis, it was merely an "ethnic problem."

Adding to this racist dismissal of what could have been a fatal attack, one of the cops then claimed the assailant told them Nasim was drunk! Nasim called their bluff by insisting on taking a breathalizer test, which the police declined to conduct. "They were callous and nonchalant. They obviously did not want to take a report," said a shaken and disbelieving Nasim.

The situation made a turn in the victim's favor when Sergeant Mary Boyle, an out Lesbian officer, appeared on the scene. While Boyle directed that a report be written and that the assailant be arrested, the charge filed was one of simple assault, a misdemeanor. Despite Nasim's demands that a clearly warranted hate crime charge be added, Boyle refused his request! Boyle herself gave the evidence for such a charge when she told Nasim that during her interview with the assailant, he told her he attacked Nasim due to a recent newspaper article Nasim had written.

The officers' indifference to Nasim's safety unfortunately fits a pattern of Chicago Police hostility towards Gay people, as evidenced by their Gay-bashing of Jeffrey Lyons and their racist, anti-Gay attack on Freddie Mason, Jr. -- both the subject of last month's landmark Amnesty International report, "Allegations of Homophobic Abuse by Chicago Police Officers."

Ifti Nasim is now in fear for his life after having been threatened by a man who is convinced that he is doing god's will and is apparently prepared to use a weapon to enforce the divine wrath against Gays. The assailant, who is out of jail on bond, knows where Nasim lives and apparently knows at least some of the places he habitually frequents.

Ifti Nasim needs the support of the entire LGBT community and all non-gay people who believe in justice. The Chicago Anti-Bashing Network is calling for all who can be present to join Nasim in attending his assailant's court hearing at 9 a.m., Tuesday, May 1 at the Belmont and Western courthouse, 2452 W. Belmont Avenue, Branch 29, Courtroom 1. CABN will be arranging transportation to the court date; those who need rides or can offer rides are asked to call 773.878.4781 or e-mail CABNstopthehate@aol.com.

Finally, please call States Attorney Dick Devine at 312.603.5440 and demand that hate crime charges be filed against the assailant, Salmon Aftab. Reference the court date and Court Branch Number when you call.

For more information: Andy Thayer, Chicago Anti-Bashing Network
773.209.1187 (cell) or 888.471.0874 (toll-free voice mail)

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