High Profile gay bashing assault on Friday night

ongarboy

I read in the Sindo that Brendan Courtney was punched last Friday night outside the War niteclub on Andrew's Lane. A group of scumbags ran up to him and one of them delivered the blow. Brendan was left with a shiner but still made it to the IFTA awards the following night. I'm sure it was a very upsetting ordeal for Brendan and fair dues to him for rising above it and not letting it stop him from doing his job. He said he would be involving the guards. Hopefully, the scumbags get caught soon. I guess what was even more disturbing for me on reading it is that he said a good friend of his was beaten up outside Jervis SC last week in a similar homophobic assault. Is gay bashing still widespread?? Thank God in my 10 years of socialising on the scene, I nor my boyfriend have ever been in such a situation but when I hear now of two seperate attacks in one week, it leaves me a little wary. Do you think Brendan was targetted because of him being well known rather than just being randomly selected? Are guys that give off more obvious camp attributes more vulnerable to these types of assaults? I suppose there is no point trying to question the mindset of these thugs as they would probably attack anyone. I send my regards to Brendan and his mate and hope they both are able to move on and not live in fear due to these mindless thugs.

baby and crumble

I would immediately wonder if it was actually a homophobic assault. Not that that makes it better or worse, at all. But I don't think you can assume that anything that happens to a gay person is homophobically motivated, just as you can't assume someone punching a black person is racially motivated.

Obviously no-one should be assaulted, full stop.

BanzaiBk

Poor guy Random violence like that is plain scary. You'd wonder if it was a gay attack or a"oh you're that bloke off tv" attack given that Brendan Courtney would be fairly well known at least by familiarity.

In my previous life as a teenager a group of friends and I were attacked outside a (gay) club in Dublin. I don't mean a few slaps either...bottles broken over our heads, kicked and stamped on when we were on the ground, some of us even had a few bites! In fairness the Garda lgbt liaison were very good and the bouncers from the bar across the road saved us from serious injury in the end but no one was ever charged with assault or anything. I was still closeted at that stage and it really put me off coming out for a long time (more related to trying to explain what happened to the parents etc).

In more recent times I've heard some stories. It's hard to know what to believe though

TheSockMonster

It was defiantely a homophobic attack. I heard Brendan on the radio yesterday talking with Joe Duffy. The man who attcked him shouted a homophobic word at him before he hit him.

Annasopra

I think when Homophobic language is used during an attack then we have to assume that Homophobia is th motivation

pragmatic1

Disgusting behaviour. Unfortunately theres still a lot of homophobia around. That said, people get beat up every night of the week for various reasons. I'm a straight lad myself and I've gotten the **** kicked out of me on a number of occassions through no fault of my own. The world is full of assholes and bad things happen all the time. I'd strongly recommend martial arts for everyone on here because the gardai arent always around and you have the right to defend yourself. Has anyone on this forum ever been involved in a homophobic attack where they got the upper hand.

Dr. Baltar

Agreed with the above sentiment that if homophobic words were shouted at him then it's a homophobic attack. Personally, I've been beaten up once or twice but that was just because of people being complete gob****es and it wasn't homophobic.


I remember however, about 10 years ago there was a gay bar here and people were beaten up constantly. It had to be closed down. As a 10 year old those stories stuck with me a long time!

As for coming out on top on a homophobic attack.... I've never been attacked homophobically like I said but a friend of mine and myself went into a nightclub one night and this guy started verbally abusing my friend homophobically for no reason whatsoever. This was followed by my friend staying completely quite saying a one liner and yer man's friends just started laughing at him completely.
He left the club shortly after that.

Endymion

TheSockMonster wrote: »

It was defiantely a homophobic attack. I heard Brendan on the radio yesterday talking with Joe Duffy. The man who attcked him shouted a homophobic word at him before he hit him.

So he had plenty of warning.

Dr. Baltar wrote: »

Agreed with the above sentiment that if homophobic words were shouted at him then it's a homophobic attack. Personally, I've been beaten up once or twice but that was just because of people being complete gob****es and it wasn't homophobic.
.

How can you be beaten up "once or twice". They're not exactly huge number and the act itself shouldn't leave you in doubt. Beaten up implies a sever beating, leaving lasting damage.

Endymion

[QUOTE=Sunday Independent] Sunday Feb 13 2011
TV presenter Brendan Courtney has been left battered and bruised after a savage gay bashing attack during a night out in Dublin.
The Off the Rails star was walking down busy South Great George's Street when he was set upon by a stranger in an apparently random homophobic attack.
The attacker punched Courtney full force in the face while shouting "queer" at the terrified star. The fashion presenter was left with a nasty black eye from the incident.
Speaking this weekend the shaken stylist said it was disgraceful that such incidents were still happening in Dublin.
"I was walking home on George's Street with a group of friends after a club night in Andrews Lane. It was about two or three in the morning," he said.
"Some guy in his early 20s came up to me with a group of friends and punched me full force in the face. He ran off with his friends before we could get him.
"I felt very threatened. I have lived in Dublin city for a long time and I'd be very careful, but how do you prepare for someone running up to you out of nowhere and hitting you straight in the face?
"I haven't had time yet but I will be reporting it to the guards.
"It's absolutely disgraceful that in this day and age some people think it's still acceptable to behave in this way.
"I'm very lucky that this has been my first brush with anything like this but it isn't uncommon.
"The exact same thing happened to a friend of mine outside Jervis Street shopping centre last Wednesday. He was beaten up and they yelled at him calling him a queer. It's disgraceful.
"I'm grand though. I'm made of tough boots," he added.
The star later posted on his Facebook page: "Off to the IFTAs tonight with a black eye. Some eejit on George's Street called me a queer and punched me. I think he fancied me! This **** still happens! I'm totally grand but be careful ladies!"
Friend and model Pippa O'Connor offered her support saying: "How appalling! Rise above it."
The Off the Rails star was speaking at the Irish Film and television awards ceremony, which friends encouraged him to attend after his terrifying ordeal.
Also present on the night was Amy Huberman who scooped the award for Best Actress in Film and Television for her lead performance in the feature film Rewind.
The actress wife of Rugby star Brian O'Driscoll stole the show at the glittering awards ceremony at the Convention Centre in front of a host of Irish and international celebrities from the worlds of film and television.
Also present was Hollywood heart-throb Pierce Brosnan who picked up best actor in a supporting role for The Ghost. Sex and the City star Kim Cattrall lent her A-list star presence to the glamorous show. Up-and-coming actor Donal Gleeson won the best actor award for a lead role in television and also scooped the coveted rising star award.
Saoirse Ronan picked up best actress in a supporting role, while The Tudors was named the best television series. Martin McCann received the best actor gong for his performance in Swan Song.
The film As If I Am Not There scooped three awards on the night -- for best film, best director (Juanita Wilson), and best film script (Juanita Wilson again).
Sunday Independent

Read more: http://www.independent.ie/lifestyle/independent-woman/celebrity-news-gossip/tv-star-back-on-feet-after-attack-2538072.html#ixzz1E8TPOw1K

[/QUOTE]

Evening Herald wrote:

By Brian Finnegan

Tuesday February 15 2011

One of the statements Brendan Courtney made after being gay-bashed on South Great George's Street last weekend rang out loud and clear to me. "I have lived in Dublin city for a long time and I'd be very careful," he said. "But how do you prepare for someone running up to you out of nowhere and hitting you straight in the face?"
POPULAR
Courtney is an Irish celebrity who has never cared about being perceived as gay in the public eye.
He was out and proud from the moment he hit our screens, and has grown to be one of RTE's most popular presenters. As such, he might be seen as a symbol of how far this country has moved in its attitude to homosexuality.
Nowadays, nobody in Ireland, except the extremely right wing, seems to be really bothered if someone is gay or not. Add to this the introduction last month of civil partnership legislation, which will see same-sex unions recognised under law, giving them most of the rights that married heterosexual couples take for granted, and you've got one of the more progressive countries in the world when it comes to gay rights.
Yet Brendan Courtney, a gay man, lives in our capital city and has to be "very careful".
He's not alone. I've already been invited to four civil partnership ceremonies this year, but I would venture that none of those couples would feel safe holding hands on the streets of Dublin, or anywhere else in Ireland for that matter.
AFFECTION
My partner and I don't even display affection in public places such as straight pubs and restaurants.
We're uncomfortable because we don't know who will be looking and what verbal or physical violence it might lead to. So what lies in the gap between a country that seems to accept homosexuality and gay people being so vulnerable to attack?
Often, spates of violence against gays, particularly around South Great George's street (which is home to the city's two biggest gay bars), come in peaks and troughs.
It may depend on the particular gang of youths that's hanging out in town at any one time, or the latest anti-gay vitriol from the Vatican, which always spurs on a few assaults by giving homophobes permission to hate.
But one thing lies at the foundation of every attack: ignorance.
The same kind of ignorance that spurs on racist attacks.
The only way to counteract ignorance is through education, but the Irish school system, largely Catholic run, is slow to introduce messages about normality into the curriculum. In the secular UK, children are educated about gay people in just about every subject, from maths to geography. The aim is that they will grow up thinking gay people are every day human beings, just like themselves.
PLAYGROUND
In Ireland, under a shameful exemption to our equality legislation, Catholic-run schools have the right to fire teachers for being gay. This measure filters down from the school hierarchy to tacitly endorse a playground culture where gay kids are beaten up and verbally abused every day.
Civil partnerships will improve the lives of gay and lesbian people, but until our schools start to educate about understanding and acceptance of sexual minorities from day one, there will always be a threat to gay people on our streets.
- Brian Finnegan

Some articles.

Sir Ophiuchus

Endymion wrote: »

So he had plenty of warning.

Huh? What on earth does that have to do with anything?

Endymion

Absolute honesty, I've zero sympathy for someone whose capable of making a statement to journo's but can't find the time to make a statement to the gardai. Attending an awards ceremony was more important then making sure a violent homophobe was taken off the streets. And before someone chimes in saying he's making a stand by going, that's symbolic, he had an opportunity to do something real to help immediately. People too shaken up to talk to the police, don't do what he did, they don't go off to a party and pencil in a statement to the gardai a week from Tuesday. If he gave a **** about the risks to other LGBT people he would have done everything in his power to help, he didn't. Probably going to go on to blame the Gardai for failing to catch his attacker. Anybody in law enforcement will tell you it's crucial to make a statement too the police as soon as possible.

Why should the gardai give a **** when the victims don't?

oisindoyle

Endymion wrote: »

Absolute honesty, I've zero sympathy for someone whose capable of making a statement to journo's but can't find the time to make a statement to the gardai. Attending an awards ceremony was more important then making sure a violent homophobe was taken off the streets. And before someone chimes in saying he's making a stand by going, that's symbolic, he had an opportunity to do something real to help immediately. People too shaken up to talk to the police, don't do what he did, they don't go off to a party and pencil in a statement to the gardai a week from Tuesday. If he gave a **** about the risks to other LGBT people he would have done everything in his power to help, he didn't. Probably going to go on to blame the Gardai for failing to catch his attacker. Anybody in law enforcement will tell you it's crucial to make a statement too the police as soon as possible.

Why should the gardai give a **** when the victims don't?

But lets be realistic here ..
The guy who punched him grabbed Courtneys hat punched him called him a queer and ran off.
So lets say courtney phones the Gards ,,,the chances are he would still be in the middle of georges Street waiting on the gards to arrive .
Slight exaggeration obviously but u know what i mean ,,by the time the gards arrive the attacker is long gone ,so its a waste of time .
From what i heard of his interview on joe duffy ,he wasnt going to to go the awards because of the attack ,but his friend persuaded him to go ,which i think was the right decision.
So i think your comments are a little harsh

Endymion

It's blatantly obvious you've never had dealings with the Gardai, yet you feel you can talk authoritatively about what is realistic.

If a queer gets bashed on Georges street and no one ever reports it, did it ever happen? For the purposes of crime prevention, the answer is no. You don't get to decry the upsurge in homophobic attacks while simultaneously doing absolutely nothing to help. Some will say that by going to the award ceremony, he raised awareness of the problem. But it's really hard to make a case that homophobic assault is a major problem and on the rise when people aren't reporting the instances of it to the Gardai. I've lost count of the number of gay guys I've met who claim to have been assaulted, but I've yet to meet a single one whoses reported it to the Gardai. Mostly this is due to either unfounded apathy or complete shame.

You've made an argument that there's no point in him reporting the crime as by the time the Gardai arrived on the scene, the attacked would be long gone. With that attitude by bother to report any crime? All you're doing there is encouraging a mentality that violence is at the very least tolerable. Leaving that aside, you've no idea how the Gardai work, I guarantee that if the someone had of picked up the phone they would have been there within a couple of minutes, they may have even been able to track them using the CCTV control centre at Pearse street. People who go around hitting others in the face aren't exactly master criminals. They probably hung around the area, and probably engaged in other acts of anti-social behaviour. You say there's no point, because there's no chance of success, but there's definitely no chance of success if you don't report it. If enough people did report homophobic attacks, it wouldn't be long before there was a permanent Garda presence on Georges street, watching out for trouble.

oisindoyle

Endymion wrote: »

It's blatantly obvious you've never had dealings with the Gardai, yet you feel you can talk authoritatively about what is realistic.

If a queer gets bashed on Georges street and no one ever reports it, did it ever happen? For the purposes of crime prevention, the answer is no. You don't get to decry the upsurge in homophobic attacks while simultaneously doing absolutely nothing to help. Some will say that by going to the award ceremony, he raised awareness of the problem. But it's really hard to make a case that homophobic assault is a major problem and on the rise when people aren't reporting the instances of it to the Gardai. I've lost count of the number of gay guys I've met who claim to have been assaulted, but I've yet to meet a single one whoses reported it to the Gardai. Mostly this is due to either unfounded apathy or complete shame.

You've made an argument that there's no point in him reporting the crime as by the time the Gardai arrived on the scene, the attacked would be long gone. With that attitude by bother to report any crime? All you're doing there is encouraging a mentality that violence is at the very least tolerable. Leaving that aside, you've no idea how the Gardai work, I guarantee that if the someone had of picked up the phone they would have been there within a couple of minutes, they may have even been able to track them using the CCTV control centre at Pearse street. People who go around hitting others in the face aren't exactly master criminals. They probably hung around the area, and probably engaged in other acts of anti-social behaviour. You say there's no point, because there's no chance of success, but there's definitely no chance of success if you don't report it. If enough people did report homophobic attacks, it wouldn't be long before there was a permanent Garda presence on Georges street, watching out for trouble.

Actually I have had dealings with the Gards hence my apathy and from what u said so have some of your friends who were attacked.
Two instances spring to mind .
I was walking down Dame St one sat nite and there was a crowd outside the Olympis watching 2 fellas beat the **** out of each other .
One fell tried to get away but was held back by a girl who held him as her friend beat the **** out of him ..
Now from i witnessed no one did a thing so i called the gards ,,and waited and waited and waited in the meantime this fella is getting beaten up in the middle of the road ..
Eventually after i phones a second time ,15 mins or so later a squad car came all sirens blareing then another one ,,then a cop on a bike ,,then another squad car ,,then 2 unmarked cars and one other bike cop ..
I kid u not it was incredible ...Ive seen less gards after a bank robbery.
Anyway the main attacker on hearing the sirens put back on his coat and mingled in amongst the crowd..
I went over to a gard and said that guy there and the girl were the culprits ..I was told by a female gard to "keep F**king walking"..
Thats how i was treated ,thats how a gard treated me for reporting a crime ,and guess what no one was arrested that night even though half of dublin garda force were there ...
Then last summer i saw a guy getting beaten up outside eddie rockets in town ,i phoned the gards and was told there was no one in the area ,but can u give a description of the fellas ficghting ,,,i mean for gods sake !!!
Why wouldnt people be apatethic with attitudes like that ??

Endymion

And tell me, what was the response when you made a official complaint about the treatment you received from the Garda officer?

You've outlined a story, which by your own admission is incredible. Sometimes you'll be waiting all night for the gardai to turn up, sometimes you won't. The last few times I've had cause to contact them, they've been there on the spot. Point is, it's a bit hard for them to turn up when no one calls.

ongarboy

Endymion wrote: »

Absolute honesty, I've zero sympathy for someone whose capable of making a statement to journo's but can't find the time to make a statement to the gardai. Attending an awards ceremony was more important then making sure a violent homophobe was taken off the streets. And before someone chimes in saying he's making a stand by going, that's symbolic, he had an opportunity to do something real to help immediately. People too shaken up to talk to the police, don't do what he did, they don't go off to a party and pencil in a statement to the gardai a week from Tuesday. If he gave a **** about the risks to other LGBT people he would have done everything in his power to help, he didn't. Probably going to go on to blame the Gardai for failing to catch his attacker. Anybody in law enforcement will tell you it's crucial to make a statement too the police as soon as possible.

Why should the gardai give a **** when the victims don't?

I'm disappointed at your very harsh comments demonising victims who don't report assaults immediately. If your sister was a rape victim and was psychologically devasted by the attack so much that she couldn't bear to report it to the Guards, would you throw the same harsh unsympathetic comments at her? Are all victims of child abuse who only report it as adults unworthy of support because they didn't report it immediately? While it would help if all victims of any form of assault (physical/sexual/otherwise) reported it immediately so that the authorities had a true measurement of the scale of attacks and therefore employ more resources to combat it, the fact is 1000s of assaults go unreported for countless and often very complicated reasons (which should be respected) so please don't go throwing vitriol at the victim in this case (or any case) just because he didn't report it to the guards immediately.

Endymion

Please don't try to make out that he didn't go to the Gardai due to fear or shame, he found the courage to give at least two interviews on the subject the evening of the attack. Any claim that not talking to the Gardai is justified lacks credibility when viewed in that light. I find it amazing that people are accepting this behaviour and even lauding it.

I do believe that people who fail to report crime share some of the responsibility for crime and the degree to which they share depends entirely on their motivations. Many rape victims in the past did try to report it, but where ignored or made to feel it was their fault, many child abuse victims faced the real possibility of even greater abuse if they spoke out. The murdering of state witnesses in gangland criminal cases gives everyone pause for thought when coming forward. But there was no chance of any negative consequences as a result of talking to the Gardai in this case, expect perhaps from it becoming public (something that rightly so didn't bother the victim). You can't give me one single reason why it's ok to talk to the press about a crime and not the Gardai.

mickol

He's a ****ing eejit , thats probably why he got a slap not because he was gay ...**** sake does everything have to be motivated by Race / sexual orientation

Endymion

mickol wrote: »

He's a ****ing eejit , thats probably why he got a slap not because he was gay ...**** sake does everything have to be motivated by Race / sexual orientation

Did you read like, any of the posts or articles?

Chuchoter

This is probably one of the (very) rare occasions I agree with Endymion. If it doesn't get reported to the gardai it never happened, so it appears as if we have no problem with gay bashing.

Sir Ophiuchus

mickol wrote: »

**** sake does everything have to be motivated by Race / sexual orientation

I hear this so much. So far it's never been accurate.

They yelled "queer" before hitting him. Learn to read threads properly before you manage to annoy the crap out of everyone. Again.

oisindoyle

Endymion wrote: »

And tell me, what was the response when you made a official complaint about the treatment you received from the Garda officer?

You've outlined a story, which by your own admission is incredible. Sometimes you'll be waiting all night for the gardai to turn up, sometimes you won't. The last few times I've had cause to contact them, they've been there on the spot. Point is, it's a bit hard for them to turn up when no one calls.

Incredible yes and true,but I sense you dont believe it..
The point is I DID phone the Gards and it took them a considerable amount of time before they turned up (in force) and by that time the damage was done and they did nothing .
As for your comment and what was the response when I made an official complaint ,well whos going to believe me ,The Gard would say she didnt say anything to me and I would say she did .
My word against hers ,hers against mine ,,,,in other words a complete waste of time making an official complaint ,,,

Endymion

oisindoyle wrote: »

Incredible yes and true,but I sense you dont believe it..
The point is I DID phone the Gards and it took them a considerable amount of time before they turned up (in force) and by that time the damage was done and they did nothing .
As for your comment and what was the response when I made an official complaint ,well whos going to believe me ,The Gard would say she didnt say anything to me and I would say she did .
My word against hers ,hers against mine ,,,,in other words a complete waste of time making an official complaint ,,,

I see. So do nothing but moan on an internet forum. A complaint against a Garda officer goes on their record, it has impact even if nothing is ultimately ever done about it. Because of these pretty weak ass instances you've decided that the gardai are a waste of time. No sensible person would come to such a conclusion. A garda was recently arrested for buying drugs, do we believe that all gardai do so? I've heard of instances whereby gardai have referred to LGBT people as queers, when attending the scene of a gay bashing. There are plenty of people with bad experiences when it comes to the gardai, but there are two types of people in the world, those that try to fix a problem, and those who sit there cynically sniping.

We could argue around in circles, I guess it comes down to whether or not you have any respect for the Gardai as a law enforcement force. I do, you don't, and no amount of posting will chance that.

oisindoyle

Endymion wrote: »

I see. So do nothing but moan on an internet forum. A complaint against a Garda officer goes on their record, it has impact even if nothing is ultimately ever done about it. Because of these pretty weak ass instances you've decided that the gardai are a waste of time. No sensible person would come to such a conclusion. A garda was recently arrested for buying drugs, do we believe that all gardai do so? I've heard of instances whereby gardai have referred to LGBT people as queers, when attending the scene of a gay bashing. There are plenty of people with bad experiences when it comes to the gardai, but there are two types of people in the world, those that try to fix a problem, and those who sit there cynically sniping.

We could argue around in circles, I guess it comes down to whether or not you have any respect for the Gardai as a law enforcement force. I do, you don't, and no amount of posting will chance that.

Thank you for taking the high moral ground and for the lecture .
Firstly my post was in response to your "I take it you have had no dealings with any Gards"....
I told of an incident ,it wasnt a moan it was a fact .
I also resent your snide comment about me not being sensible .Alas I will not stoop to your level of getting personal .
Now have a nice life in that tower of yours .

Endymion

You've had no substantial dealings with them. You've never made a formal statement, you've never reported a crime. You've never needed their help. That's the long and short of it. You're be incredibly cynical about an organisation you know next to nothing about. There are LGBT Liaison officers for ****s shake specifically for this type of thing.

bodice ripper

I've had plenty of deallings with them. While I would make a statement if i was attacked, i wouldn't believe for a second it would do me any good. I've been assualted IN FRONT of cops before and they did nothing.

Tigger

question
i was once attacked on my way down the quays at about 8 in the evening
i was called a fag and punched around by two lads
is it a homophobic attack even tho i'm straight and the fag comment was ment as a slur not a defination

pragmatic1

Tigger wrote: »

question
i was once attacked on my way down the quays at about 8 in the evening
i was called a fag and punched around by two lads
is it a homophobic attack even tho i'm straight and the fag comment was ment as a slur not a defination

If they thought you were gay and that was the motivation for the attack, then yes it was homophobic.

keepkeyyellow

My mother rang me up today and told me about this and warned me to be careful around Dublin, bless her