Brick thrown at an NYC gay bar is beg vtigated as a hate crime

new york city gay bar attack

Hours before the Colorado mass shootg, a gay bar Manhattan was targeted for the fourth time this month when someone threw a brick at s wdow.

Contents:

VIO SHOWS MAN THROW BRICK AT WDOW OF NYC GAY BAR; 4TH ATTACK AT SAME SPOT A WEEK

The attacks, four wh a month, had created a ep sense of anxiety Hell’s Kchen — a feelg pound on Saturday by a adly asslt on a gay bar Colorado. * new york city gay bar attack *

A gay bar Manhattan was attacked for the fourth time a week when a man threw a brick at s wdow Saturday while patrons were si. The bar has shatterproof glass wdows, which owner David DeParola told The Post he had stalled anticipatn of possible anti-gay attacks.

A Manhattan grand jury has dicted several spects nnectn wh the aths of two men who were dgged and killed separate cints followg viss to New York Cy gay bars last year, two law enforcement officials said Wednday. The Manhattan District Attorney’s office cled to ment, as did an NYPD spokman, cg the ongog Umberger and Jul Clary; Fay photoUmberger and Ramirez were both found ad after visg gay bars the cy’s lively Hell’s Kchen neighborhood last sprg. It is unclear, however, if they were of gay men found ad after visg gay bars or whether they were nnected to the dicted spects.

INDICTMENTS ARE HAND UP NNECTN WH NYC GAY BAR KILLGS, SOURC SAY

One of New York Cy's newt gay bars has had a brick thrown at s ont wdow four tim recent weeks, s owner says. * new york city gay bar attack *

”In the months followg the aths of Ramirez and Umberger, more gay New Yorkers stepped forward wh eerily siar acunts.

NBC News has spoken wh several gay men who said they survived siar cints om December 2021 to October 2022, both before and after the aths of Ramirez and NYPD nfirmed mid-November that was vtigatg addnal acunts of grand larceny at other Manhattan gay bars that had siari to the Umberger and Ramirez s.

MAN CHARGED WH BREAKG WDOW REPEATEDLY AT MANHATTAN GAY BAR

* new york city gay bar attack *

Photograph: Marie Le Ble/Zuma Wire/Rex/ShutterstockThis week, New York Cy’s mayor, Eric Adams, posned the cy as a welg place for queer people ntrast to plac like Florida, where Governor Ron DeSantis jt signed a “don’t say gay” law.

New York Cy’s most well-known cint is the police raid at Stonewall Inn that sparked the 1969 Stonewall Uprisg – and helped lnch the morn gay rights movement. New York|Man Charged Wh Breakg Wdow Repeatedly at Manhattan Gay Bar ADVERTISEMENTThe attacks, four wh a month, had created a ep sense of anxiety Hell’s Kchen — a feelg pound on Saturday by a adly asslt on a gay bar owner of VERS offered startled patrons ee shots of liquor after the most recent attack. Moon for The New York TimThe New York Cy Police Department said a man was arrted and charged Tuday nnectn wh a strg of attacks on a gay bar Manhattan that saw s ont wdow smashed by bricks and a rock four tim ls than one Kuilan, 34, of Hell’s Kchen, the Manhattan neighborhood where the attacks occurred, was charged wh crimal posssn of a weapon, crimal mischief and reckls endangerment, acrdg to the Police Department.

MAN ARRTED NYC GAY BAR ATTACKS SAID WAS ‘REVENGE’ ON BEHALF OF FEMALE IEND

The New York Cy Police Department nfirmed Monday that is vtigatg a strg of robberi and asslts that may be nnected to the aths of two gay * new york city gay bar attack *

Muny — a feelg pound by a adly shootg at a gay bar Colorado Sprgs on Saturday that killed at least five and jured 18. More about Liam StackA versn of this article appears prt on, Sectn A, Page 16 of the New York edn wh the headle: Man Charged Over Attacks On a Gay Bar In Manhattan. A spect was bted Tuday the strg of attacks on a Hell’s Kchen gay bar — and allegedly told ps he was jt “exactg revenge” on behalf of a gal pal fdg wh the club, police said.

“I’m gay myself, ” Kuilan said as he was led out of a police vehicle and rted to urt handcuffs on Tuday eveng. The ctomers were not jured, thanks to the shatterproof pane stalled by owner David DeParola — who said was a preutn agast anti-gay attacks.

BRICK THROWN AT AN NYC GAY BAR IS BEG VTIGATED AS A HATE CRIME

Two gay men who end up ad wh their bank acunts draed after leavg New York Cy bars last year were both homici victims, thori said Friday. * new york city gay bar attack *

“Even sce then, there was a Zoom meetg wh lol gay bar owners and the precct clost to that was tend to help crease munitn between . 22, 2022, 12:31 AM UTCOne of New York Cy's newt gay bars has had a brick thrown at s ont wdow four tim recent weeks, s owner says. The latt cint, jt this past weekend, is beg vtigated as a hate crime, the New York Police Department taken Saturday night and verified by NBC News shows a person, whom thori are still tryg to intify, hurlg a brick at the ont wdow of VERS, a gay bar loted on Nth Avenue that opened July.

Erik Bottcher, a New York Cy uncil member who reprents Hell’s Kchen and is gay, lled the cints “hate crim” a tweet on Sunday and urged anyone wh rmatn that uld intify the perpetrator to reach out to the NYPD Hate Crime Task Force. “A well-known gay bar on Manhattan’s wt si has been attacked repeatedly recent weeks.

DGGGS, DEATHS AND ROBBERI PUT NEW YORK’S GAY COMMUNY ON EDGE

A man will spend years behd bars nnectn wh a vlent anti-gay attack agast two men at a Brooklyn boga 2021, prosecutors said. * new york city gay bar attack *

”The attacks e as the NYPD also vtigat a seri of robberi and asslts that may be nnected to the aths of two gay men earlier this year after they left Hell’s Kchen gay bars, the NYPD nfirmed this month.

NYPD IS VTIGATG A STRG OF ASSLTS POTENTIALLY LKED TO ATHS OF 2 GAY MEN

The brick that was thrown at VERS did shatter the glass but sred patrons Wrabetz / NBC NewsOn the other si of the untry, wh hours of the cint at VERS on Saturday, a gunman Colorado Sprgs opened fire at a gay nightclub, leavg five ad and 19 wound.

HELL'S KCHEN GAY BARS REACT TO ATTACKS ON QUEER MEN

While DeParola strsed that his bar is a safe place and that no one was hurt durg any of the cints volvg his tablishment, he said he also feels the untry is a moment of “embolned anti-gay, anti-trans rurgence. Muny is on edge after the before the Colorado mass shootg, a gay bar Manhattan was targeted for the fourth time this month when someone threw a brick at s Moon for The New York TimNov. 21, 2022On Saturday, revelry at a gay bar Manhattan was terpted for the fourth time this month by someone throwg a brick at s plate-glass wdows at the bar, VERS, are shatterproof, so the attacks have not jured anyone, said s owner, David DeParola.

The adly mass shootg has shaken gay muni across the sense of unease has been acutely felt New York, one of the untry’s gay cultural centers and the se of the 1969 Stonewall Inn uprisg, which is wily viewed as the birth of the morn gay rights York’s L. Muny, like gay muni elsewhere, has been eply troubled by verbal attacks recent years on drag events, om club nights to children’s drag queen story hours at librari.

AdvertisementSKIP ADVERTISEMENTAt first, the men’s aths were treated as overdos, until tens of thoands of dollars were found draed om their bank Umberger was seen leavg the Q nightclub Manhattan, his mother Moon for The New York TimJul Ramirez died the back seat of a taxi April after he left a popular gay bar Manhattan wh a group of men. They stole his wallet, phone and ID before they abandoned his body the r wh a distrsed month later, John Umberger was found ad an Upper East Si townhoe after he and a group of men left another popular gay bar jt three blocks om the last place Mr. Muny at first regard the aths as isolated dg overdos: men who partied too hard, quotidian tragedi a gay nightlife scene that has roared back to life as the ronavis panmic has the men’s fai soon disvered somethg more sister: Cred rds the men’s nam were maxed out and their bank acunts draed of tens of thoands of dollars.

NYC GAY BAR ATHS WERE HOMICIS, MEDIL EXAMER L

Muny, which emerged om the panmic to the jaws of a monkeypox outbreak, a landspe of stgglg and sometim shuttered bars and an creasgly hostile natnal polil have also spread fear and mor, while startg a broar nversatn about siar attacks that have quietly plagued the cy’s gay nightlife for years. Umberger were targeted bee they were gay, and they have not said if they believe the men’s aths and other nonfatal attacks are men who said they were dgged have stggled to nvce the police they were the victims of a crime and not jt irrponsible partygoers who took someone home and blacked Alarn, 33, said he was dgged at the Rz March 2020. Umberger, The Tim has spoken to five men who said they were dgged at gay bars the cy — cludg the Eagle, the Boiler Room and the 9th Avenue Saloon — and then robbed.

NYC MAN SENTENCED FOR VLENT UNPROVOKED ANTI-GAY ATTACK AT BOGA

It is also ed recreatnally by some the gay Burt, 27, was robbed of more than $25, 000 after he was dgged at the Boiler Room the East Village last December. ImageCouncilman Erik Bottcher reprents much of the cy’s gay heartland Hell’s Kchen, Chelsea and the Wt Moon for The New York TimGay bars hold a special place L. Councilman Erik Bottcher — who reprents much of the cy’s gay heartland Hell’s Kchen, Chelsea and the Wt Village — lled “a goln age of nightlife.

People of “groomg” children, a homophobic trope that nflat homosexualy wh pedophilia. Bar Colorado addn, many gay bars are or near Midtown Manhattan, which has been transformed by panmic-era enomic llapse and acts of high-profile street crime.

*BEAR-MAGAZINE.COM* NEW YORK CITY GAY BAR ATTACK

Live</tle><rect width="39" height="22" rx="3" fill="#CB1111"></rect><path d="M5.756 5.66H8.186V15.002H12.506V17H5.756V5.66ZM13.5783 5.66H16.0083V17H13.5783V5.66ZM22.5198 17H20.0718L16.7958 5.66H19.2798L21.3498 13.31H21.4218L23.5098 5.66H25.7958L22.5198 17ZM33.3901 15.002V17H26.5861V5.66H33.3541V7.658H28.9621V10.25H32.3101V12.212H28.9621V15.002H33.3901Z" fill="whe"></path></svg></span>on<span class="styl_img__bxg3Y styl_news-now-img__961yW"><svg width="144" height="16" viewBox="0 0 144 16" fill="none" xmlns="><tle>NBC News Now</tle><g clip-path="url(#clip0_3686_260016)"><path d="M143.711 12.9351H106.432V15.7204H143.711V12.9351Z" fill="currentColor"></path><path d="M138.308 11.0828H141.078L143.924 0.253418H141.218L139.725 6.7182H139.678L138.044 0.253418H135.417L133.77 6.7182H133.708L132.215 0.253418H129.276L132.114 11.0828H135.005L136.655 4.66263H136.747L138.308 11.0828Z" fill="currentColor"></path><path d="M120.534 5.67944C120.534 3.79098 121.713 2.45958 123.394 2.45958C125.074 2.45958 126.254 3.76034 126.254 5.67944C126.254 7.59855 125.072 8.89651 123.394 8.89651C121.716 8.89651 120.534 7.59576 120.534 5.67944ZM123.394 11.3253C126.814 11.3253 129.206 8.89652 129.206 5.67944C129.206 2.46237 126.828 0.0307617 123.394 0.0307617C119.959 0.0307617 117.578 2.45958 117.578 5.67944C117.578 8.8993 119.956 11.3253 123.394 11.3253V11.3253Z" fill="currentColor"></path><path d="M113.118 11.0827H116.427V0.250488H113.625V6.71528H113.564L109.74 0.250488H106.429V11.0827H109.23V4.61234H109.294L113.118 11.0827Z" fill="currentColor"></path><path d="M93.1764 3.4594C93.1764 1.43446 94.8964 0 97.608 0C99.9219 0 101.706 1.11414 102.169 2.87169L99.6474 3.4594C99.3672 2.60987 98.6557 2.15308 97.6613 2.15308C96.7368 2.15308 96.0757 2.54581 96.0757 3.26721C96.0757 5.42029 102.423 3.07224 102.423 7.70427C102.423 9.85734 100.572 11.2946 97.9414 11.2946C94.9664 11.2946 93.1147 9.98825 92.5181 7.70427L95.0981 7.31432C95.2562 7.86892 95.5951 8.35559 96.0616 8.69791C96.5281 9.04022 97.0957 9.21879 97.6753 9.20557C98.7958 9.20557 99.5269 8.68471 99.5269 7.96609C99.5353 5.7406 93.1764 8.09143 93.1764 3.4594Z" fill="currentColor"></path><path d="M85.7161 4.61826H85.6489L84.0157 11.083H81.1051L78.2422 0.248047H81.22L82.7411 6.70726H82.8055L84.4583 0.248047H87.1055L88.7583 6.70726H88.8227L90.3439 0.248047H93.0555L90.2122 11.083H87.4361L85.7161 4.61826Z" fill="currentColor"></path><path d="M77.4499 0.248047V2.53203H71.7633V4.42328H76.2453V6.70726H71.7633V8.79627H77.5815V11.083H68.9199V0.248047H77.4499Z" fill="currentColor"></path><path d="M60.5243 4.61826L60.4571 11.083H57.6138V0.248047H60.9193L64.7543 6.70726H64.8215V0.248047H67.6649V11.083H64.3593L60.5243 4.61826Z" fill="currentColor"></path><path d="M42.5679 5.67658C42.5679 2.35087 44.8818 0.0668945 48.2545 0.0668945C50.899 0.0668945 52.8823 1.43728 53.6779 3.78532L50.9662 4.30619C50.7735 3.76474 50.4145 3.29724 49.94 2.96983C49.4654 2.64242 48.8993 2.47169 48.3218 2.48178C46.6018 2.48178 45.5429 3.72126 45.5429 5.67658C45.5429 7.63189 46.6634 8.87416 48.3218 8.87416C48.8996 8.88405 49.466 8.71291 49.9406 8.38498C50.4152 8.05704 50.774 7.58894 50.9662 7.04697L53.6106 7.57062C52.7506 9.98273 50.899 11.289 48.2545 11.289C44.8818 11.289 42.5679 8.941 42.5679 5.67658Z" fill="currentColor"></path><path d="M32.4521 0.248047H37.741C40.1221 0.248047 41.6433 1.16164 41.6433 3.24786C41.6452 3.75624 41.4774 4.25089 41.1661 4.65418C40.8548 5.05747 40.4177 5.34658 39.9232 5.47614V5.5402C40.9821 5.73796 41.9066 6.52064 41.9066 8.01916C41.9066 10.1722 40.3855 11.083 38.0072 11.083H32.4521V0.248047ZM35.3627 4.49012H37.2788C38.3993 4.49012 38.7999 4.2283 38.7999 3.50968C38.7999 2.79107 38.3377 2.53203 37.2788 2.53203H35.3627V4.49012ZM35.3627 6.51229V8.79627H37.346C38.5366 8.79627 39.0632 8.4676 39.0632 7.68214C39.0632 6.89667 38.5366 6.568 37.346 6.568H35.3627V6.51229Z" fill="currentColor"></path><path d="M24.054 4.61826L23.984 11.083H21.1406V0.248047H24.449L28.284 6.70726H28.3484V0.248047H31.1917V11.083H27.8862L24.054 4.61826Z" fill="currentColor"></path><path d="M16.9526 7.11688C16.5767 7.10716 16.2056 7.20323 15.8822 7.39403L10.6504 11.0274H16.9526C17.473 11.0274 17.9721 10.8219 18.3401 10.456C18.7081 10.09 18.9149 9.59378 18.9149 9.07631C18.9149 8.55884 18.7081 8.06257 18.3401 7.69667C17.9721 7.33076 17.473 7.12519 16.9526 7.12519V7.11688Z" fill="#0DB14B"></path><path d="M10.8291 10.1962L16.5432 6.29952C16.7602 6.16158 16.9478 5.98248 17.0953 5.77245C17.2427 5.56242 17.3471 5.32557 17.4025 5.07542C17.4579 4.82527 17.4632 4.56673 17.4181 4.31455C17.373 4.06237 17.2784 3.82147 17.1397 3.60565C17.0009 3.38983 16.8208 3.20329 16.6096 3.05669C16.3983 2.91008 16.1601 2.80626 15.9086 2.75119C15.657 2.69611 15.3969 2.69085 15.1433 2.73569C14.8897 2.78054 14.6474 2.87463 14.4304 3.01257C14.109 3.20856 13.8499 3.49107 13.6833 3.82738L10.8291 10.1962Z" fill="#0089CF"></path><path d="M12.5989 0.249348C12.8333 0.357094 13.0439 0.510047 13.2185 0.699339C13.393 0.88863 13.528 1.1105 13.6156 1.35206C13.7033 1.59363 13.7418 1.85008 13.729 2.10657C13.7162 2.36306 13.6523 2.61446 13.541 2.84621L10.8206 8.79378L9.93701 3.17879C9.90412 3.02045 9.93406 2.85561 10.0206 2.71873C10.238 2.3917 10.7843 2.13396 10.7815 2.09793C10.7788 2.0619 10.7286 1.98984 10.5028 1.98984H9.78369C9.79649 1.71105 9.86569 1.43769 9.98716 1.1861C10.0955 0.952999 10.2494 0.743609 10.4397 0.570069C10.6301 0.396529 10.8533 0.262295 11.0962 0.175156C11.3392 0.0880165 11.5971 0.04971 11.855 0.0624465C12.113 0.0751829 12.3658 0.138705 12.5989 0.249348V0.249348Z" fill="#645FAA"></path><path d="M6.41914 0.249348C6.1847 0.357094 5.97407 0.510047 5.79954 0.699339C5.625 0.88863 5.49 1.1105 5.40236 1.35206C5.31472 1.59363 5.27621 1.85008 5.28902 2.10657C5.30183 2.36306 5.36574 2.61446 5.47701 2.84621L8.19747 8.79378L9.22319 2.27251C9.26287 1.89961 9.19624 1.52313 9.03088 1.1861C8.92252 0.952999 8.76869 0.743609 8.57831 0.570069C8.38793 0.396529 8.16478 0.262295 7.92183 0.175156C7.67888 0.0880165 7.42095 0.04971 7.163 0.0624465C6.90504 0.0751829 6.65221 0.138705 6.41914 0.249348V0.249348Z" fill="#C9234A"></path><path d="M2.46669 6.2992L8.18075 10.1959L5.31535 3.82151C5.14952 3.48468 4.89036 3.20198 4.56836 3.0067C4.12998 2.72812 3.59826 2.63411 3.09017 2.74534C2.58207 2.85656 2.13921 3.16392 1.85903 3.5998C1.57886 4.03567 1.48432 4.56437 1.59619 5.06957C1.70805 5.57476 2.01715 6.01507 2.45553 6.29365L2.46669 6.2992Z" fill="#F37021"></path><path d="M2.06533 7.11707C1.5449 7.11707 1.04575 7.32263 0.677748 7.68853C0.309746 8.05443 0.103027 8.55071 0.103027 9.06817C0.103027 9.58564 0.309746 10.0819 0.677748 10.4478C1.04575 10.8137 1.5449 11.0193 2.06533 11.0193H8.36752L3.13566 7.40252C2.81314 7.20881 2.44206 7.10985 2.06533 7.11707Z" fill="#FDB913"></path></g><fs><clipPath id="clip0_3686_260016"><rect width="144" height="16" fill="whe"></rect></clipPath></fs></svg></span><span class="styl_img__bxg3Y styl_chevron-img__sl67n"><svg viewBox="0 0 10 7" fill="none" xmlns="><path d="M1 1.07454L4.96238 5L9 1" stroke="currentColor" stroke-width="2" stroke-lep="round"></path></svg></span></div></a></div></div></div></sectn><div class="article-body" data-activy-map="article-article-body" data-taboola-target="read-more"><div class="article-body__grid--ntaer"><div class="ad dn-prt"><div data-mps="te" data-slot="terstial" data-siz="[[[0,0],[[4,4]]]]" data-reh-terval="0" data-renr-on-view="te" data-targetg="{}" data-active-tab="te"></div></div><div class="article-body__sectn"><div class="article-body layout-grid-em layout-grid-em--wh-gutter-s-only grid-l-10-m grid-l-ph-1-m grid-l-6-xl grid-l-ph-2-xl article-body--ctom-lumn"></div></div><div class="article-body__sectn layout-grid-ntaer article-body__last-sectn article-body__first-sectn"><div class="article-body layout-grid-em layout-grid-em--wh-gutter-s-only grid-l-10-m grid-l-ph-1-m grid-l-6-xl grid-l-ph-2-xl article-body--ctom-lumn"><sectn class="mb7"><div class="article-social-share-top"><ul class="styl_ntaer__ZKkl3" 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=New York Cy LGBTQ bar set ablaze arson attack & 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 styl_py__RACZ3"><button type="button" class="styl_button__b3sx_"><span class="in in-lk"></span></button><div class="styl_pyTooltip__Ut_t1"><span class="in in-alt-check"></span></div></li><li data-ttid="social-share-sms" class="styl_em__b5A78 styl_sms__Vohh6"><a href="sms:?&body=New York Cy LGBTQ bar set ablaze arson attack via nbews - target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" class="styl_lk__RsJVU"><span class="in in-sms"></span></a></li><li data-ttid="social-share-prt" class="styl_prt__cw6Gn"><button type="button" class="styl_button__b3sx_"><span class="in in-share-prt styl_in__P3XZT"></span><span class="styl_text___8iNX">Prt</span></button></li><li data-ttid="social-share-save" class="styl_save__ILVuj"></li></ul></div><div class="article-body__date-source"><time class="relative z-1" dateTime="2022-04-06T20:42:09.844Z" ntent="2022-04-06T20:42:09.844Z">April 6, 2022, 8:42 PM UTC</time></div><div class="article-le-byle" data-activy-map="le-byle-article-top">By <span class="byle-name">Tat Bellamy-Walker</span></div></sectn><div class="article-body__ntent article-body-font--loadg"><p class="">A bar servg LGBTQ New Yorkers has closed after an arson attack over the weekend, the New York Cy Police Department nfirmed Wednday. </p><p class="">At approximately 9 p.m. on Sunday, a man walked to the Rash Bar Brooklyn’s Bhwick neighborhood wh a bottle of flammable liquid, poured on the bar’s floor, l a match and set the venue ablaze, acrdg to the NYPD. Police said the spect fled as the bar beme engulfed flam.</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="">Jake Sillen, one of the bar’s owners, told NBC News on Wednday that they are still shock. </p><p class="">“It’s so hard to believe and procs,” said Sillen, 26, who is nonbary and they/them pronouns. “It’s more nfg than anythg.” </p><figure class="styl_leImage__yAWZ0 styl_small__5hUB_ styl_portra__NRWbO"><picture class="styl_image__1qciH"><source media="(m-width: 1240px)" srcSet=" 2x, 1x"/><source media="(m-width: 1000px)" srcSet=" 2x, 1x"/><source media="(m-width: 758px)" srcSet=" 2x, 1x"/><source srcSet=" 2x, 1x"/><img loadg="lazy" src=" alt="The Rash Bar Brooklyn’s Bhwick neighborhood." height="1080" width="718"/></picture><figptn class="ptn styl_ptn__Pe5JC"><span class="ptn__ntaer">The Rash Bar Brooklyn’s Bhwick neighborhood.</span><span class="ptn__source">Rash Bar / via NBC New York</span></figptn></figure><p class="">Three people — a bartenr, DJ and secury guard — were si when the venue was set on fire. A 25-year-old female was transported to nearby Wyckoff Heights Medil Center wh mor burns, while another victim was evaluated on the scene for mor burns to the shoulrs, the NYPD said. </p><p class="">Claire Bender, a -owner of Rash, had jt stepped outsi when the fire broke out. </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="">“Everyone shed out,” <a href=">Bender told NBC New York</a>. “The si door has a glass ont, and I looked over and saw flam to the top of ceilg. It was crazy, happened so fast.”</p><p class="">The bar was left unregnizable and torched, NBC New York reported.</p><p class="">Bender, who they/them pronouns, said the spect boldly left behd evince. </p><p class="">“He left the gas nister si. Kd of lmly placed on the bar unter. Wasn’t knocked over or anythg,” they told NBC New York. </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="">Police are reviewg surveillance footage that shows someone fillg up a gas n mut before the fire.</p><h2 class=""><strong>'Easy target'</strong></h2><p class="">Police are still vtigatg a motive for the cint, and no arrts have been ma. The bar’s owner cled to ment on the spect’s tentns but noted that servg a large LGBTQ clientele mak the space vulnerable. </p><p class="">“I don’t want to jump to any nclns, bee we don’t know anythg about the person that did this,” Sillen said. “It uld easily turn out to be a motive that we aren’t expectg.” </p><div class="remend-tersectn-ref" data-activy-map="remend-article-body-remend"></div><p class="">“It’s easy to see why our space would be an easy target for someone lookg to do harm to the queer muny,” they said, addg that Rash Bar, “people feel safe to be themselv, and ’s a shame that anybody would do anythg to threaten this.” </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="">Sce the bar opened nearly five months ago, has bee a staple LGBTQ nightlife and a refuge for queer young adults and performers. It is also known for beg packed late to the night, acrdg to NBC New York.</p><div class="remend-tersectn-ref" data-activy-map="remend-article-body-remend"></div><p class="">This is not the only reported cint<strong> </strong>targetg bars or near the Bhwick neighborhood that are popular wh the cy’s LGBTQ muny: In Febary, someone threw a<a href="> pepper-bomb spray on the dance floor</a> at a party for the Black queer muny at Nowadays, and last summer there was a wave of attacks at <a href=">Happyfun Hiaway.</a> </p><p class="">“We, fely the last year, have seen a rise anti-LGBT vlence,” Sillen said, notg that more people are takg rs to and om parti. “The streets haven’t been as safe as they were three or four years ago.”</p><p class="">As of Wednday afternoon, the bar owners <a href=">had raised $52,000 of their $200,000 goal on GoFundMe</a> to help renstct the damaged buildg and re for the jured employe. Sillen said they are thankful for the outpourg of support. </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="">“What we’re dog is important, and no matter what, we will be reopeng,” Sillen said. “We’ve never once thought about that not beg a possibily.” </p><p class="">Sillen, who is still on edge after the fire, said they have a msage for the arsonist. </p><p class="">“Turn yourself ,” Sillen said. “You’ve harmed so many people. Not jt physilly, but the wav that this is gog to create — between the loss of e, wag and jt the space for as long as ’s gog to be gone. … It’s a lot of loss.”<strong> </strong></p><p class="endmark"><strong><em>Follow </em></strong><a href="><strong><em>NBC Out</em></strong></a><strong><em> on </em></strong><a href="><strong><em>Twter</em></strong></a><strong><em>, </em></strong><a href="><strong><em>Facebook</em></strong></a><strong><em> & </em></strong><a href="><strong><em>Instagram</em></strong></a></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"><div class="byle-thumbnail byle-thumbnail--has-image expand-byle__thumbnail"><picture><source srcSet=" 2x, 1x"/><img loadg="lazy" src=" alt="" height="48" width="48"/></picture></div><span class="byle-name expand-byle__name">Tat Bellamy-Walker</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></span><div class="expand-byle__b-wrapper"><p class="byle-b expand-byle__b">Tat Bellamy-Walker is the sk assistant for NBC News' diversy vertils. </p></div></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 .

TOP