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data-activy-map="social-share-lks-article-top" data-ttid="social-share-menu"><li data-ttid="social-share-facebook" class="styl_em__b5A78 styl_facebook__bOW_X"><a href=" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" class="styl_lk__RsJVU"><span class="in in-share-facebook"></span></a></li><li data-ttid="social-share-twter" class="styl_em__b5A78 styl_twter__ww7sF"><a href=" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" class="styl_lk__RsJVU"><span class="in in-twter"></span></a></li><li data-ttid="social-share-ptert" class="styl_em__b5A78 styl_ptert__CaMm1"><a href=" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" class="styl_lk__RsJVU"><span class="in in-share-ptert"></span></a></li><li data-ttid="social-share-email" class="styl_em__b5A78"><a href="mailto:?subject=5 killed after gunman opens fire at LGBTQ nightclub Colorado Sprgs& target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" class="styl_lk__RsJVU"><span class="in in-share-email"></span></a></li><li data-ttid="social-share-py" class="styl_em__b5A78 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class="article-le-byle" data-activy-map="le-byle-article-top">By <span class="byle-name">Julianne McShane</span>, <span class="byle-name"><a href=">Andrew Blankste</a></span> and <span class="byle-name"><a href=">Deon J. Hampton</a></span></div></sectn><div class="article-body__ntent article-body-font--loadg"><p class="">COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. — A gunman entered a Colorado Sprgs LGBTQ club and immediately began firg wh a semitomatic rifle Saturday, killg five people and jurg 25, officials said.</p><p class="">Colorado Sprgs Police Chief Adrian Vasquez praised "at least two heroic people" si Club Q who, he said, "nonted and fought wh the spect and were able to stop the spect om ntug to kill and harm others."</p><div class="ad ad--text-alignment ad-ntaer boxleAd dn-prt"><div data-mps="te" data-slot="boxle" data-siz="[[[1000,1],[]],[[758,1],[[300,250],[700,50],[5,5],[728,90],[360,360]]],[[0,0],[[300,250],[700,50],[5,5],[360,360]]]]" data-renr-on-view="te" data-targetg="{}" data-active-tab="te" data-offset-viewport="100"></div></div><div id="taboolaReadMoreBelow"></div><p class="">"We owe them a great bt of thanks," Vasquez said at a news nference Sunday morng. </p><p class="">"Their actns clearly saved liv," Mayor John Suthers said later at the news nference. </p><p class=""><a href=" target="_blank"><strong><em>Follow for live verage of the shootg.</em></strong></a></p><p class="">Club owner Matthew Hayn told NBC News he never imaged “this level of hate” would scend on his club. He said the timg of the shootg worsens the suatn wh Thanksgivg on the horizon.</p><div class="ad ad--text-alignment ad-ntaer boxleAd dn-prt"><div data-mps="te" data-slot="boxle" data-siz="[[[1000,1],[]],[[758,1],[[300,250],[700,50],[5,5],[728,90],[360,360]]],[[0,0],[[300,250],[700,50],[5,5],[360,360]]]]" data-renr-on-view="te" data-targetg="{}" data-active-tab="te" data-offset-viewport="100"></div></div><p class="">“Fay members won’t be wh their fay members,” Hayn said.</p><p class="">Hayn opened the club 20 years ago to give people a place to gather and be themselv.</p><p class="">“We started when there were darker days. We didn’t have a lot of rights and we need plac to have a muny, and that’s what Club Q has been for 20 years,” Hayn said.</p><p class="">The spect, whom officials intified as Anrson Lee Aldrich, 22,<strong> </strong>was jured the attack, apprehend and hospalized, Sgt. Pamela Castro, the Colorado Sprgs Police Department spokwoman, said.</p><div class="ad ad--text-alignment ad-ntaer boxleAd dn-prt"><div data-mps="te" data-slot="boxle" data-siz="[[[1000,1],[]],[[758,1],[[300,250],[700,50],[5,5],[728,90],[360,360]]],[[0,0],[[300,250],[700,50],[5,5],[360,360]]]]" data-renr-on-view="te" data-targetg="{}" data-active-tab="te" data-offset-viewport="100"></div></div><p class="">Vasquez said the weapon ed was a rifle ma the style of the Colt AR-15, a high-powered rifle <a href=" target="_blank">veloped for ary e</a> but first sold for sportg purpos.<strong> </strong>A handgun was also found at the scene, the chief said, but wasn't immediately clear if belonged to the spect or someone else.</p><p class="">A man wh the spect's name and age was the subject of a June 2021 report of a bomb threat, <a href=" target="_blank">acrdg to a news release</a> om the El Paso County Sheriff's Office, which noted that the man's mother told thori "her son was threateng to e harm to her wh a homema bomb, multiple weapons, and ammunn."</p><figure class="styl_leImage__yAWZ0 styl_medium__OMa6x"><picture class="styl_image__1qciH"><source media="(m-width: 1000px)" srcSet=" 2x, 1x"/><source srcSet=" 2x, 1x"/><img loadg="lazy" src=" alt="People gather for a vigil at All Souls Unarian Universalist Church Colorado Sprgs, Colo., on Nov. 20, 2022, followg a mass shootg at Club Q, a gay nightclub." height="1667" width="2500"/></picture><figptn class="ptn styl_ptn__Pe5JC"><span class="ptn__ntaer">People gather for a vigil at All Souls Unarian Universalist Church Colorado Sprgs, Colo., on Sunday.</span><span class="ptn__source">Deon Hampton / NBC News</span></figptn></figure><p class="">The spect that se was si a home about a e om his mother's hoe, acrdg to the sheriff's office, which add that officials evacuated nearby hom followg the bomb threat. It took thori more than three hours to get the spect to surrenr, and officials arrted him on two unts of felony menacg and three unts of first-gree kidnappg. No bombs were found, acrdg to the sheriff's office.</p><p class="">It was not immediately clear how the se was adjudited or whether was dropped or layed.</p><div class="ad ad--text-alignment ad-ntaer boxleAd dn-prt"><div data-mps="te" data-slot="boxle" data-siz="[[[1000,1],[]],[[758,1],[[300,250],[700,50],[5,5],[728,90],[360,360]]],[[0,0],[[300,250],[700,50],[5,5],[360,360]]]]" data-renr-on-view="te" data-targetg="{}" data-active-tab="te" data-offset-viewport="100"></div></div><p class="">Officials at the news nference Sunday did not nfirm whether the spect that se was the same one believed to be the shooter at Club Q. </p><p class="">But Howard Black, spokman for the district attorney's office, said an email that the prev se “is part of the vtigatn at this time,” and “addnal rmatn will be released as appropriate.” </p><p class="">The FBI was assistg on the scene, Castro said.</p><p class="">Vasquez said “at least two firearms were found at the scene” and that officials “are still workg to intify the firearms and who they belong to.”</p><div class="ad ad--text-alignment ad-ntaer boxleAd dn-prt"><div data-mps="te" data-slot="boxle" data-siz="[[[1000,1],[]],[[758,1],[[300,250],[700,50],[5,5],[728,90],[360,360]]],[[0,0],[[300,250],[700,50],[5,5],[360,360]]]]" data-renr-on-view="te" data-targetg="{}" data-active-tab="te" data-offset-viewport="100"></div></div><p class="">Castro said at the news nference that "numero people" were transported to multiple hospals by ambulance and police cisers, and that hospal officials were helpg police notify the fay members of those jured. </p><figure class="styl_leImage__yAWZ0 styl_medium__OMa6x"><picture class="styl_image__1qciH"><source media="(m-width: 1000px)" srcSet=" 2x, 1x"/><source srcSet=" 2x, 1x"/><img loadg="lazy" src=" alt="Police enter Club Q Colorado Sprgs, Colo., on Nov. 20, 2022, as they ntue to vtigate the Saturday night shootg that left several people ad and multiple others jured." height="1690" width="2500"/></picture><figptn class="ptn styl_ptn__Pe5JC"><span class="ptn__ntaer">Police enter Club Q Colorado Sprgs, Colo., on Sunday, as they ntue to vtigate the shootg that left five people ad and 25 jured.</span><span class="ptn__source">Christian Murdock / The Gazette via AP</span></figptn></figure><p class="">By Sunday afternoon, 15 victims were beg treated for juri at two hospals, officials said. </p><p class="">Eleven patients were beg treated at Memorial Hospal Central, acrdg to UCHealth public and media relatns manager Kelli Christensen. Late Sunday afternoon, UCHealth said one person had been released, leavg 10 hospalized. </p><p class="">Chief Medil Officer David Stebner said the juri of those at Memorial Hospal Central clud “multiple gunshot wounds” that left “several people” the ICU.</p><div class="ad ad--text-alignment ad-ntaer boxleAd dn-prt"><div data-mps="te" data-slot="boxle" data-siz="[[[1000,1],[]],[[758,1],[[300,250],[700,50],[5,5],[728,90],[360,360]]],[[0,0],[[300,250],[700,50],[5,5],[360,360]]]]" data-renr-on-view="te" data-targetg="{}" data-active-tab="te" data-offset-viewport="100"></div></div><p class="">Four victims were beg treated at Penrose Hospal, spokperson Ldsay Radford said. Two of those victims were cril but stable ndn, and the other two were stable ndn. </p><sectn class="le-vio le-vio---body"><div class="le-vio__background"><div class="le-vio__player"><div class="vioPlayer styl_vioPlayer__bL8AJ styl_adNotPlayg__Q51_C styl_alignDktopBottom__4cHaO styl_alignMobileBottom__bhgkQ"><div class="vioSlate"><a href=" class="allowClicksOnPreview"><picture class=""><source media="(m-width: 1240px)" srcSet="><source media="(m-width: 758px)" srcSet="><img loadg="lazy" src="></picture></a><div class="playButtonOuter absolute absolute-fill w100 dn-prt"><div class="absolute absolute-fill w100 df ems-center ems-center-m jtify-center jtify-center-m"><div class="play le-vio__play-button"><svg class="play--in" xmlns=" viewBox="0 0 15 15" prerveAspectRat="xMidYMid" style="max-width:30px"><path d="M0 0v15l15-7.41z" fill-le="evenodd"></path></svg></div></div></div></div><div id="154716229746"></div></div></div></div><div class="le-vio__"><h2 class="le-vio__tle"><a href=">Wns scrib fearg for life durg Colorado Sprgs shootg</a></h2><span class="le-vio__tail"><span>Nov. 20, 2022</span><span>01:42</span></span><div class="styl_share__n3Syu le-vio__share dn-prt"><div class="styl_shareExpanr__hVk8d le-vio__share-expanr styl_hoverEffect___Dj4s"><span class="styl_shareDot__9pfRZ le-vio__share-dot"></span><svg class="styl_shareClose__6BZxR le-vio__share-close" viewBox="0 0 15 15"><le class="styl_shareLe__EJUjO" x1="0" x2="15" y1="0" y2="15"></le><le class="styl_shareLe__EJUjO" x1="0" x2="15" y1="15" y2="0"></le></svg></div><div class="styl_shareList___M8wC le-vio__share-list"><a href=" class="styl_shareLk__gSGN3" target="_blank" rel="noopen noreferrer"><span class="in in-facebook styl_shareIn__lVnRm le-vio__share-in"></span></a><a href=" class="styl_shareLk__gSGN3" target="_blank" rel="noopen noreferrer"><span class="in in-twter styl_shareIn__lVnRm le-vio__share-in"></span></a><a href="mailto:?subject=Wns scrib fearg for life durg Colorado Sprgs shootg& class="styl_shareLk__gSGN3" target="_blank" rel="noopen noreferrer"><span class="in in-email styl_shareIn__lVnRm le-vio__share-in"></span></a></div></div></div></sectn><p class="">At the news nference earlier Sunday, Penrose Chief Medil Officer William Plth said the five victims there who were not cril ndn "maly had extremy juri." </p><p class="">Twenty-five victims total were jured the shootg, officials said. </p><p class="">District Attorney Michael Allen said that there is "no ongog threat that we are aware of" and that the se will be officially transferred to his office the g days. </p><h2 class="">'A safe haven for our LGBTQ cizens'</h2><p class="">Police rpond to ial lls at 11:57 p.m. lol time. Social media footage om across the street and verified by NBC News showed dozens of police vehicl and a fire tck ployed near the club.</p><div class="ad ad--text-alignment ad-ntaer boxleAd dn-prt"><div data-mps="te" data-slot="boxle" data-siz="[[[1000,1],[]],[[758,1],[[300,250],[700,50],[5,5],[728,90],[360,360]]],[[0,0],[[300,250],[700,50],[5,5],[360,360]]]]" data-renr-on-view="te" data-targetg="{}" data-active-tab="te" data-offset-viewport="100"></div></div><p class="">The first officer arrived on the scene at midnight, and the spect was taed two mut later, officials said at a news nference Sunday morng. </p><p class="">Club Q was hostg a “Drag Divas” show followed by a DJ night on Saturday, acrdg to s Facebook page.</p><figure class="styl_leImage__yAWZ0 styl_medium__OMa6x"><picture class="styl_image__1qciH"><source media="(m-width: 1000px)" srcSet=" 2x, 1x"/><source srcSet=" 2x, 1x"/><img loadg="lazy" src=" alt="Jsy Smh Cz embrac Jadzia Dax McClendon the morng after a mass shootg at Club Q, an LGBTQ nightclub Colorado Sprgs, Colo.,, on Nov. 20, 2022." height="1667" width="2500"/></picture><figptn class="ptn styl_ptn__Pe5JC"><span class="ptn__ntaer">Jsy Smh Cz embrac Jadzia Dax McClendon the morng after a mass shootg at Club Q, an LGBTQ nightclub Colorado Sprgs, Colo.</span><span class="ptn__source">Jason Connolly / AFP - Getty Imag</span></figptn></figure><p class="">On Sunday, acrdg to s Facebook page, Club Q planned to host a Drag Bnch for all ag, as well as later performanc to honor Transgenr Day of Remembrance, an annual observance that started 1999 to honor the memory of transgenr people killed acts of anti-trans vlence, <a href=" target="_blank">acrdg to GLAAD</a>. </p><div class="ad ad--text-alignment ad-ntaer boxleAd dn-prt"><div data-mps="te" data-slot="boxle" data-siz="[[[1000,1],[]],[[758,1],[[300,250],[700,50],[5,5],[728,90],[360,360]]],[[0,0],[[300,250],[700,50],[5,5],[360,360]]]]" data-renr-on-view="te" data-targetg="{}" data-active-tab="te" data-offset-viewport="100"></div></div><p class="">So far this year, at least 32 transgenr people have been shot or killed, <a href=" target="_blank">acrdg to the Human Rights Campaign</a>, though that unt do not appear to clu the Colorado Sprgs victims. </p><p class="">Drag performers have bee a <a href=" target="_blank">particular target</a> of right-wg activists and policians, who claim they “groom” children. <a href=" target="_blank">Some policians</a> have proposed banng kids om drag events and crimally chargg any parents who brg their kids to such events.</p><p class="">Vasquez lled Club Q "a safe haven for our LGBTQ cizens."</p><sectn class="le-vio le-vio---body"><div class="le-vio__background"><div class="le-vio__player"><div class="vioPlayer styl_vioPlayer__bL8AJ styl_adNotPlayg__Q51_C styl_alignDktopBottom__4cHaO styl_alignMobileBottom__bhgkQ"><div class="vioSlate"><a href=" class="allowClicksOnPreview"><picture class=""><source media="(m-width: 1240px)" srcSet="><source media="(m-width: 758px)" srcSet="><img loadg="lazy" src="></picture></a><div class="playButtonOuter absolute absolute-fill w100 dn-prt"><div class="absolute absolute-fill w100 df ems-center ems-center-m jtify-center jtify-center-m"><div class="play le-vio__play-button"><svg class="play--in" xmlns=" viewBox="0 0 15 15" prerveAspectRat="xMidYMid" style="max-width:30px"><path d="M0 0v15l15-7.41z" fill-le="evenodd"></path></svg></div></div></div></div><div id="154721349612"></div></div></div></div><div class="le-vio__"><h2 class="le-vio__tle"><a href=">Communy gathers for vigil after Colorado Sprgs LGBTQ club shootg</a></h2><span class="le-vio__tail"><span>Nov. 20, 2022</span><span>01:58</span></span><div class="styl_share__n3Syu le-vio__share dn-prt"><div class="styl_shareExpanr__hVk8d le-vio__share-expanr styl_hoverEffect___Dj4s"><span class="styl_shareDot__9pfRZ le-vio__share-dot"></span><svg class="styl_shareClose__6BZxR le-vio__share-close" viewBox="0 0 15 15"><le class="styl_shareLe__EJUjO" x1="0" x2="15" y1="0" y2="15"></le><le class="styl_shareLe__EJUjO" x1="0" x2="15" y1="15" y2="0"></le></svg></div><div class="styl_shareList___M8wC le-vio__share-list"><a href=" class="styl_shareLk__gSGN3" target="_blank" rel="noopen noreferrer"><span class="in in-facebook styl_shareIn__lVnRm le-vio__share-in"></span></a><a href=" class="styl_shareLk__gSGN3" target="_blank" rel="noopen noreferrer"><span class="in in-twter styl_shareIn__lVnRm le-vio__share-in"></span></a><a href="mailto:?subject=Communy gathers for vigil after Colorado Sprgs LGBTQ club shootg& class="styl_shareLk__gSGN3" target="_blank" rel="noopen noreferrer"><span class="in in-email styl_shareIn__lVnRm le-vio__share-in"></span></a></div></div></div></sectn><p class="">Officials are vtigatg whether the shootg was a hate crime.</p><div class="ad ad--text-alignment ad-ntaer boxleAd dn-prt"><div data-mps="te" data-slot="boxle" data-siz="[[[1000,1],[]],[[758,1],[[300,250],[700,50],[5,5],[728,90],[360,360]]],[[0,0],[[300,250],[700,50],[5,5],[360,360]]]]" data-renr-on-view="te" data-targetg="{}" data-active-tab="te" data-offset-viewport="100"></div></div><p class="">While the motive of the attack was not immediately known, amid what Print Joe Bin <a href=" target="_blank">earlier this year lled</a> "risg hate and vlence" agast LGBTQ people.<strong> </strong></p><p class="">Hate crim agast LGBTQ people were up 51% last year pared to 2020, acrdg to a <a href=" target="_blank">report by the Center for the Study of Hate and Extremism</a> at California State Universy, San Bernardo. </p><p class="">The shootg six years after the 2016 <a href=" target="_blank">massacre at Pulse</a>, a gay nightclub Orlando, Florida, which left 49 people ad and dozens jured.</p><p class="">LGBTQ advot spoke out agast the shootg and support of the victims Sunday.</p><div class="ad ad--text-alignment ad-ntaer boxleAd dn-prt"><div data-mps="te" data-slot="boxle" data-siz="[[[1000,1],[]],[[758,1],[[300,250],[700,50],[5,5],[728,90],[360,360]]],[[0,0],[[300,250],[700,50],[5,5],[360,360]]]]" data-renr-on-view="te" data-targetg="{}" data-active-tab="te" data-offset-viewport="100"></div></div><p class="">"From Pulse to Colorado Sprgs to so many other liv stolen om — this has occurred for far too long," the Human Rights Campaign’s g print, Kelley Robson, said a statement.</p><p class="">"You n draw a straight le om the false and vile rhetoric about LGBTQ people spread by extremists and amplified across social media, to the nearly 300 anti-LGBTQ bills troduced this year, to the dozens of attacks on our muny like this one," said Sarah Kate Ellis, the print and chief executive officer of GLAAD, a media advocy anizatn foced on LGBTQ reprentatn. </p><h2 class=""><strong>Lears react</strong></h2><p class="">Bin nmned the shootg a lengthy statement which he noted that while the motive the shootg remas unclear, LGBTQ people, and transgenr women of lor particular, face pecially high rat of vlence. </p><p class="">“Plac that are supposed to be safe spac of acceptance and celebratn should never be turned to plac of terror and vlence. Yet happens far too often,” Bin said. “We mt drive out the equi that ntribute to vlence agast LGBTQI+ people. We nnot and mt not tolerate hate.”</p><div class="ad ad--text-alignment ad-ntaer boxleAd dn-prt"><div data-mps="te" data-slot="boxle" data-siz="[[[1000,1],[]],[[758,1],[[300,250],[700,50],[5,5],[728,90],[360,360]]],[[0,0],[[300,250],[700,50],[5,5],[360,360]]]]" data-renr-on-view="te" data-targetg="{}" data-active-tab="te" data-offset-viewport="100"></div></div><p class="">Transportatn Secretary Pete Buttigieg, who as a ndidate the 2020 printial electn beme the <a href=" target="_blank">first openly gay ndidate</a> to n for the natn’s hight office, lled the news of the shootg “sickeng and heartbreakg” and part of a “pattern” a tweet Sunday. </p><p class="">“We n not, will not, allow hate to w. We mt end this our time,” Buttigieg wrote. “No rt until all of , cludg all of the LGBTQ+ muny, n be, and feel, safe.”</p><sectn class="le-vio le-vio---body"><div class="le-vio__background"><div class="le-vio__player"><div class="vioPlayer styl_vioPlayer__bL8AJ styl_adNotPlayg__Q51_C styl_alignDktopBottom__4cHaO styl_alignMobileBottom__bhgkQ"><div class="vioSlate"><a href=" class="allowClicksOnPreview"><picture class=""><source media="(m-width: 1240px)" srcSet="><source media="(m-width: 758px)" srcSet="><img loadg="lazy" src=" height="1080" width="1920"/></picture></a><div class="playButtonOuter absolute absolute-fill w100 dn-prt"><div class="absolute absolute-fill w100 df ems-center ems-center-m jtify-center jtify-center-m"><div class="play le-vio__play-button"><svg class="play--in" xmlns=" viewBox="0 0 15 15" prerveAspectRat="xMidYMid" style="max-width:30px"><path d="M0 0v15l15-7.41z" fill-le="evenodd"></path></svg></div></div></div></div><div id="154704965938"></div></div></div></div><div class="le-vio__"><h2 class="le-vio__tle"><a href=">Bin reacts to ‘vastatg’ Colorado Sprgs adly shootg</a></h2><span class="le-vio__tail"><span>Nov. 20, 2022</span><span>02:12</span></span><div class="styl_share__n3Syu le-vio__share dn-prt"><div class="styl_shareExpanr__hVk8d le-vio__share-expanr styl_hoverEffect___Dj4s"><span class="styl_shareDot__9pfRZ le-vio__share-dot"></span><svg class="styl_shareClose__6BZxR le-vio__share-close" viewBox="0 0 15 15"><le class="styl_shareLe__EJUjO" x1="0" x2="15" y1="0" y2="15"></le><le class="styl_shareLe__EJUjO" x1="0" x2="15" y1="15" y2="0"></le></svg></div><div class="styl_shareList___M8wC le-vio__share-list"><a href=" class="styl_shareLk__gSGN3" target="_blank" rel="noopen noreferrer"><span class="in in-facebook styl_shareIn__lVnRm le-vio__share-in"></span></a><a href=" class="styl_shareLk__gSGN3" target="_blank" rel="noopen noreferrer"><span class="in in-twter styl_shareIn__lVnRm le-vio__share-in"></span></a><a href="mailto:?subject=Bin reacts to ‘vastatg’ Colorado Sprgs adly shootg& class="styl_shareLk__gSGN3" target="_blank" rel="noopen noreferrer"><span class="in in-email styl_shareIn__lVnRm le-vio__share-in"></span></a></div></div></div></sectn><p class="">Colorado Gov. Jared Polis, who 2018 <a href=" target="_blank">was the first openly gay man elected ernor</a> and is currently quarantg wh Covid, lled the shootg "horrific, sickeng, and vastatg" a statement released Sunday morng. </p><p class="">"My heart breaks for the fay and iends of those lost, jured, and trmatized this horrific shootg," he said, addg that "every state rource is available to lol law enforcement Colorado Sprgs." </p><div class="ad ad--text-alignment ad-ntaer boxleAd dn-prt"><div data-mps="te" data-slot="boxle" data-siz="[[[1000,1],[]],[[758,1],[[300,250],[700,50],[5,5],[728,90],[360,360]]],[[0,0],[[300,250],[700,50],[5,5],[360,360]]]]" data-renr-on-view="te" data-targetg="{}" data-active-tab="te" data-offset-viewport="100"></div></div><p class="">"We are eternally grateful for the brave dividuals who blocked the gunman likely savg liv the procs and for the first rponrs who rpond swiftly to this horrific shootg," Polis, a Democrat, said. "Colorado stands wh our LGTBQ muny and everyone impacted by this tragedy as we mourn together."</p><p class="">“We have to protect LGBTQ liv om this hate,” Sen. John Hickenlooper, D-Colo., <a href=" target="_blank">tweeted</a>. </p><p class="">"As we seek jtice for this unimagable act, we mt do more to protect the LGBTQ muny and stand firm agast discrimatn and hate every form," Sen. Michael Ben, D-Colo., <a href=" target="_blank">said on Twter</a>.</p><p class="">Other lol lears also shared their outrage and ndolenc Sunday. </p><div class="ad ad--text-alignment ad-ntaer boxleAd dn-prt"><div data-mps="te" data-slot="boxle" data-siz="[[[1000,1],[]],[[758,1],[[300,250],[700,50],[5,5],[728,90],[360,360]]],[[0,0],[[300,250],[700,50],[5,5],[360,360]]]]" data-renr-on-view="te" data-targetg="{}" data-active-tab="te" data-offset-viewport="100"></div></div><p class="">“We have so much work to do to stop this om happeng aga,” Rep. Judy Amabile, a Colorado state lawmaker who reprents Boulr, <a href=" target="_blank">said on Twter</a>.</p><p class="">“My heart is wh our LGBTQ+ muny as we all reel om this vlence,” Rep. Jason Crow, D-Colo., wrote a <a href=" target="_blank">tweet</a>.</p><p class="endmark"><em>Julianne McShane reported om Massachetts, Andrew Blankste om Los Angel and Deon J. Hampton om Colorado Sprgs.</em></p></div><div class="article-body__ntent article-body-font--loadg"><div class="expand-byle-ntributors articleByleContaer"><div class="expand-byle article-expand-byle" data-activy-map="expand-byle-article-bottom"><span class="byle-thumbnail byle-thumbnail--no-image expand-byle__thumbnail"></span><span class="byle-name expand-byle__name">Julianne McShane</span><span class="byle-social expand-byle__social"></span><div class="expand-byle__b-wrapper"></div></div><div class="expand-byle article-expand-byle" data-activy-map="expand-byle-article-bottom"><span class="byle-thumbnail byle-thumbnail--no-image expand-byle__thumbnail"></span><span class="byle-name expand-byle__name"><a href=">Andrew Blankste</a></span><span class="byle-social expand-byle__social"><a href=" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" class="byle-social--lk"><span class="in in-twter"></span></a><a href=" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" class="byle-social--lk"><span class="in in-facebook"></span></a><a href="" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" class="byle-social--lk"><span class="in in-email"></span></a></span><div class="expand-byle__b-wrapper"><p class="byle-b expand-byle__b">Andrew Blankste is an vtigative reporter for NBC News. He vers the Wtern U.S., specializg crime, urts and homeland secury. </p></div></div><div class="expand-byle article-expand-byle" data-activy-map="expand-byle-article-bottom"><span class="byle-thumbnail byle-thumbnail--no-image expand-byle__thumbnail"></span><span class="byle-name expand-byle__name"><a href=">Deon J. Hampton</a></span><span class="byle-social expand-byle__social"><a href=" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" class="byle-social--lk"><span class="in in-twter"></span></a><a href="" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" class="byle-social--lk"><span class="in in-email"></span></a></span><div class="expand-byle__b-wrapper"><p class="byle-b expand-byle__b">Deon J. Hampton is a natnal reporter for NBC News.</p></div></div><div class="expand-ntributors">Matthew Mulligan<!-- -->, <!-- -->Alex Lo<!-- --> and <!-- -->Dennis Romero<!-- --> <!-- -->ntributed<!-- -->.</div></div></div></div><div class="article-body--right-rail-ntaer"><div class="article-body__right-rail layout-grid-em grid-l-4_5-l grid-l-3_5-xl grid-l-ph-half-xl"><div class="ad article-body__right-rail--ad ad--text-alignment ad-ntaer dn-prt"><div data-mps="te" data-slot="boxrail" data-siz="[[[1000,1],[[300,250],[360,360]]],[[758,1],[]],[[0,0],[]]]" data-offset="10" data-renr-on-view="te" data-targetg="{}" data-active-tab="te"></div></div></div></div></div><div class="body-bottom-remend"><div class="ad ad--midrponsive ad-ntaer dn-prt"><div data-mps="te" data-slot="midrponsive" data-siz="[[[1000,1],[[700,1],[5,5]]],[[758,1],[]],[[0,0],[]]]" data-offset="300" data-reh-terval="0" data-renr-on-view="te" data-targetg="{}" data-active-tab="te"></div></div></div></div></div></article></div></div><div id="hfs-footer" class="dn-prt" data-activy-map="hfs-footer"><footer class="hfsf" ><div class="ner"><div class="logo"><a href="><svg class="peack" viewBox="578 62 67 39" xmlns=" fill="currentColor"><g fill-le="evenodd"><path d="M579.074 90.58c1.717-4.494 6.472-6.08 10.697-3.37l18.29 12.754h-22.18c-4.62 0-8.252-4.23-6.8-9.385"></path><path class="feather" d="M579.074 90.58c1.717-4.494 6.472-6.08 10.697-3.37l18.29 12.754h-22.18c-4.62 0-8.252-4.23-6.8-9.385"></path><path class="feather" d="M597.563 75.863l9.442 21.613-19.478-13.35c-4.887-3.24-3.896-8.79-1.19-11.237 3.83-3.24 9.245-2.12 11.226 2.97"></path><path class="feather" d="M610.57 70.93l-3.433 24.19-9.772-23c-2.113-5.75 2.64-9.516 5.81-9.583 3.632-.396 8.188 2.38 7.396 8.394"></path><path class="feather" d="M625.494 72.103l-9.707 23.067-3.102-20.82c-.265-3.17 1.716-3.237 2.443-3.832-.133-.463-1.124-.463-1.124-.463h-1.848c-.198-5.42 4.028-7.8 7.462-7.535 3.697.132 7.856 4.428 5.876 9.583"></path><path class="feather" d="M635.338 84.167L615.86 97.584l9.177-21.348c2.775-6.742 9.245-5.42 11.556-2.842 2.51 2.51 3.235 7.6-1.255 10.773"></path><path class="feather" d="M637.448 99.9h-22.515l18.29-12.756c4.49-2.975 9.244-.266 10.498 3.635 1.327 4.36-1.65 9.12-6.27 9.12"></path></g></svg></a></div><nav class="lks"><ul class="lks__wrap" data-l-2="14" data-l-3=15><li><a href=" target="_self">About</a></li><li><a href=" target="_self">Contact</a></li><li><a href=">Help</a></li><li><a href=">Careers</a></li><li><a href=" target="_blank" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Ad Choic</a></li><li><a href=" target="_blank" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Privacy Policy</a></li><li><a href=" target="_blank" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Do Not Sell My Personal Informatn</a></li><li><a href=" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">CA Notice</a></li><li><a href=">Terms of Service (Updated JULY 7, 2023)</a></li><li><a href=">NBC News Semap</a></li><li><a href=">Advertise</a></li><li><a href=" target="_self">Select Shoppg</a></li><li><a href=" target="_self">Select Personal Fance</a></li></ul></nav><div class="py"><p>© 2023 NBC UNIVERSAL</p><div class="brands"><a href="><svg viewBox="0 0 120 20" fill="none" xmlns=" aria-labelledby="nbc_news_logo"><tle class="nbc_news_logo">NBC News Logo

castro killing gays

Concentratn mps for gays. Polil prisons where they were treated like ‘beasts.’ Listen up, liberals: Before you celebrate Castro, remember his victims.

Contents:

FIL CASTRO TAK BLAME FOR PERSECUTN OF CUBAN GAYS

* castro killing gays *

Image ptn, Mr Castro told Carmen Lira that he had not paid enough attentn to the treatment of homosexualsFil Castro has said that he is ultimately rponsible for the persecutn suffered by homosexuals Cuba after the revolutn of former print told the Mexin newspaper La Jornada that there were moments of great jtice agast the gay muny.

THIS IS HOW FIL CASTRO PERSECUTED GAY PEOPLE

In the 1960s and 70s, many homosexuals Cuba were fired, imprisoned or sent to "re-tn mps" Castro said homosexuals had tradnally been discrimated Cuba, jt as black people and women.

But, neverthels, he adms he didn't pay enough attentn to what was gog on agast the gay muny. "In 1979, homosexualy was crimalised and, more recently, there have been efforts to legalise same-sex unns. Homosexuals were viewed as herently unter-revolutnary and homosexualy was clared a “viatn patible wh the revolutn” by Castro’s regime.

LGBT people, particularly gay men, were routely sent to prison whout charge or trial by the state.

FIL CASTRO’S HORRIFIC RERD ON GAY RIGHTSPINKWASHCONCENTRATN MPS FOR GAYS. POLIL PRISONS WHERE THEY WERE TREATED LIKE ‘BEASTS.’ LISTEN UP, LIBERALS: BEFORE YOU CELEBRATE CASTRO, REMEMBER HIS VICTIMS.JAM KIRCHICKUPDATED APR. 13, 2017 2:17PM EDT / PUBLISHED NOV. 27, 2016 2:23PM EST PHOTO ILLTRATN BY ELIZABETH BROCKWAY/THE DAILY BEASTFIL CASTRO WAS MANY THGS: A REVOLUTNARY, A MUNIST, A GARLO ORATOR. AMID THE FAWNG ENIA RELEASED UPON HIS LONG-OVERDUE ATH AT THE AGE OF 90, SHOULD NEVER BE FOTTEN THAT HE WAS ALSO AN OPPRSOR, TORTURER, AND MURRER OF GAY PEOPLE. “WE WOULD NEVER E TO BELIEVE THAT A HOMOSEXUAL ULD EMBODY THE NDNS AND REQUIREMENTS OF NDUCT THAT WOULD ENABLE TO NSIR HIM A TE REVOLUTNARY, A TE MUNIST ANT,” CASTRO TOLD AN TERVIEWER 1965. “A VIATN OF THAT NATURE CLASH WH THE NCEPT WE HAVE OF WHAT A ANT MUNIST SHOULD BE.” IN THE EY OF CASTRO AND HIS REVOLUTNARY RA CHE GUEVARA—WHO EQUENTLY REFERRED TO GAY MEN AS MARIN, “FAGGOTS”—HOMOSEXUALY WAS HERENTLY UNTERREVOLUTNARY, A BOURGEOIS NCE. TO A TRADNAL LAT AMERIN MACHISMO THAT VIEWED GAYNS PEJORATIVELY, THEY MARRIED AN IOLOGIL FIXATN TREATG AS POLILLY UNSIRABLE. IT WASN’T LONG AFTER CASTRO ME TO POWER THAT POLICE BEGAN ROUNDG UP GAY MEN. IN 1965, THE REGIME TABLISHED PRISON WORK MPS KNOWN AS MILARY UNS TO AID PRODUCTN (UMAP), TO WHICH POSED HOMOSEXUALS, JEHOVAH’S WNS, AND OTHER “UNSIRABLE” ELEMENTS. ALERT TO THIS NEWS, THE MATTACHE SOCIETY—ONE OF THE EARLIT GAY RIGHTS ANIZATNS THE UNED STAT—HELD MONSTRATNS OUTSI THE UNED NATNS AND THE WHE HOE SUCCSIVELY OVER TWO DAYS. FOUR YEARS BEFORE THE WORLD-FAMO STONEWALL RTS, THE WERE TWO OF THE FIRST GAY RIGHTS PROTTS HELD THE UNED STAT. THAT SAME YEAR, ALLEN GSBERG WAS EXPELLED OM CUBA FOR SPREADG MORS THAT RL CASTRO—FIL’S BROTHER AND SUCCSOR AS PRINT—WAS GAY AND CLAIMG THAT GUEVARA WAS “CUTE.” PUTTG GAYS TO NCENTRATN MPS IS NOT THE ONLY PRACTICE CASTRO BORROWED OM THE NAZIS. DURG THE CUBAN MISSILE CRISIS, ACRDG TO RECENTLY RELEASED GERMAN TELLIGENCE FIL, THIS SO-LLED ANTI-FASCIST ATTEMPTED TO HIRE FORMER SS OFFICERS TO STCT HIS ARMY. THOUGH THE CUBAN REGIME CLOSED DOWN THE UMAPS THE LATE 1960S, NTUED TO REPRS GAY MEN AS IOLOGILLY SUBVERSIVE ELEMENTS. OPENLY HOMOSEXUAL PEOPLE WERE PREVENTED OM JOG THE COMMUNIST PARTY AND FIRED OM THEIR JOBS. ONE OF THE UNTRY’S MOST DISTGUISHED WRERS, REALDO ARENAS, REUNTED THE PRISON EXPERIENCE HE AND UNTLS OTHER GAY MEN ENDURED HIS MEMOIR BEFORE NIGHT FALLS. “IT WAS A SWELTERG PLACE WHOUT A BATHROOM,” HE WROTE. “GAYS WERE NOT TREATED LIKE HUMAN BEGS, THEY WERE TREATED LIKE BEASTS. THEY WERE THE LAST ON TO E OUT FOR MEALS, SO WE SAW THEM WALK BY, AND THE MOST SIGNIFINT CINT WAS AN EXCE TO BEAT THEM MERCILSLY.” GAYS PRISED A SIGNIFINT PORTN OF THE 125,000 CUBANS (“WORMS,” FIL CASTRO’S WORDS) PERMTED TO LEAVE THE ISLAND FOR THE UNED STAT AS PART OF THE 1980 MARIEL BOATLIFT. (THE 1984 DOCUMENTARY IMPROPER CONDUCT, WHICH TELLS THE STORI OF GAY AND STRAIGHT MARIELOS, REMAS ONE OF THE STARKT DICTMENTS OF THE CASTRO REGIME.) WHEN THE HUMAN IMMUNOFICIENCY VIS H THE ISLAND’S GAY MUNY THE MID-1980S, THE REGIME’S RPONSE WAS TO QUARANTE ALL HIV-POSIVE PEOPLE SANARIUMS, REFERRED TO AS “PRETTY PRISONS” BY THE FOUNR OF THE WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATN’S GLOBAL PROGRAM FOR AIDS. NO DOUBT ATTUNED TO THE WAY WHICH GAY RIGHTS HAS BEE CENTRAL TO THE AGENDA OF A GLOBAL LEFT CREASGLY SENSIVE TO THE CLAIMS OF INTY POLICS, THE CUBAN REGIME RECENT YEARS HAS TRIED TO FASHN SELF AS BEG THE VANGUARD OF HOMOSEXUAL LIBERATN. IN 2010, FIL CASTRO BELATEDLY ADMTED THAT HIS REVOLUTN’S TREATMENT OF GAYS NSTUTED “A GREAT JTICE.” IT WAS, HOWEVER, A S OF OMISSN RATHER THAN MISSN, TRANSPIRG ONLY BEE HE WAS DISTRACTED, TOO BY FIGHTG OFF YANKEE IMPERIALISTS TO PREVENT THE ATROCI BEG MTED HIS REVOLUTN’S NAME. TODAY, FIL’S NIECE (RL’S DGHTER) MARIELA CASTRO HAS EMERGED AS AN LGBT ACTIVIST, HELMG AN ANIZATN LLED THE CUBAN NATNAL CENTER FOR SEX EDUTN. COCINTALLY, SHE IS THE FOC OF A DOCUMENTARY, MARIELA’S MARCH: CUBA’S LGBT REVOLUTN, PREMIERG MONDAY NIGHT ON HBO. MARIELA HAS BEEN LD BY MANY THE WT AS A FORCE FOR PROGRSIVE CHANGE, AND HER CISN TO PH FOR ACCEPTANCE OF LGBTS MAY BE HELPG ON THE MARGS. BUT NO MATTER HOW MUCH LIFE FOR GAY CUBANS MIGHT HAVE IMPROVED OM THE DAYS OF FORCED LABOR MPS, ’S ALL OCCURRG WH THE NTEXT OF A TOTALARIAN SOCIETY WHOSE CIZENS NNOT VOTE, ARE NIED BASIC EEDOMS LIKE THE RIGHT TO SPEAK OR PROTT EELY, AND NNOT FORM ANIZATNS PENNT OF THE ERNMENT. INED, TELLS YOU EVERYTHG YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT NTEMPORARY CUBA THAT THE UNTRY’S MOST VISIBLE LGBT ACTIVIST IS THE STRAIGHT DGHTER OF RL CASTRO. MARIELA IS A HARD-RE MUNIST WHO SKIRTS AROUND HER FAY’S HORRIFIC RERD OF OPPRSG LGBT PEOPLE, AND HER ERSATZ GAY RIGHTS CSA REEKS OF BEG A VANY PROJECT AND PERSONALY CULT.SOME WTERN PROGRSIV NOHELS FALL FOR THIS PKWASHG CHARA. TAKE CANADIAN PRIME MISTER JT T, A VOL ADVOTE FOR LGBT RIGHTS HIS OWN UNTRY, WHO RELEASED A FULSOME STATEMENT UPON FIL CASTRO’S ATH. WHILE ALLOWG THAT THE CEASED TYRANT WAS A “NTROVERSIAL FIGURE,” THE DPH PRETTY BOY ENTHED, “I KNOW MY FATHER WAS VERY PROUD TO LL HIM A IEND AND I HAD THE OPPORTUNY TO MEET FIL WHEN MY FATHER PASSED JO THE PEOPLE OF CUBA TODAY MOURNG THE LOSS OF THIS REMARKABLE LEAR.”THE ATH OF FIL CASTRO IS REASON TO CELEBRATE. BUT TE EEDOM FOR CUBAN GAYS WILL REMA ELIVE AS LONG AS POLIL EEDOM IS NIED TO ALL CUBANS. JAM KIRCHICK

In 1965, the regime tablished prison work mps known as Milary Uns to Aid Productn (UMAP), where homosexuals, Jehovah’s Wns, and other “unsirable” peopl emed out of le wh the Communist iology were forcefully sent.

Homosexuals and men who were perceived to be homosexual were separated and put to mps apart om other tae.

FIL CASTRO ADMS PERSECUTN OF GAYS 1960S WAS 'UNJT'

Extreme opprsn of gay Cubans ntued after the UMAPs: beg sent to prison for homosexual acts, fired om their jobs and banned om jog the Communist Party.

Many former mps ntued unr the guise of ‘ary trag’ wh a wage equivalent to the st of one meal a month, and gay men still forced to work them. Some who had been sent to the mps for beg gay had their ernment ID rds brand to say they had been rcerated, preventg them om seekg any future employment or tn.

Rpected wrer Realdo Arenas wrote of the treatment he and other gay Cubans faced prison: “It was a swelterg place whout a bathroom. “Gays were not treated like human begs, they were treated like beasts. Castro routely referred to gay men as “faggots” and “worms” for many s public ments.

CASTRO ADMS 'JTICE' FOR GAYS AND LBIANS DURG REVOLUTN

LGBT stunts were expelled om universy and gay people prohibed om havg ntact wh children and young people. Homosexual acts were eventually ma legal Cuba 1979, but that did ltle to end the prejudice and state sanctned opprsn that had taken hold durg the prev two s.

Acrdg to a Human Rights Watch report, “the ernment [ 1997] … heightened harassment of homosexuals, raidg several nightclubs known to have gay clientele and allegedly beatg and tag dozens of patrons.

FIL CASTRO TAK BLAME FOR 1960S GAY PERSECUTN

Castro said he had not paid enough attentn to the issue of homophobia, claimg: “At the time we were beg sabotaged systematilly, there were armed attacks agast , we had too many problems.

Amid the fawng enia released upon his long-overdue ath at the age of 90, should never be fotten that he was also an opprsor, torturer, and murrer of gay people. “We would never e to believe that a homosexual uld embody the ndns and requirements of nduct that would enable to nsir him a te revolutnary, a te munist ant, ” Castro told an terviewer 1965.

” In the ey of Castro and his revolutnary ra Che Guevara—who equently referred to gay men as marin, “faggots”—homosexualy was herently unterrevolutnary, a bourgeois nce. To a tradnal Lat Amerin machismo that viewed gayns pejoratively, they married an iologil fixatn treatg as polilly unsirable.

*BEAR-MAGAZINE.COM* CASTRO KILLING GAYS

Fil Castro tak blame for 1960s gay persecutn | Rters .

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