Windy City Media Group Frontpage News

THE VOICE OF CHICAGO'S GAY, LESBIAN, BI, TRANS AND QUEER COMMUNITY SINCE 1985

home search facebook twitter join
Gay News Sponsor Windy City Times 2023-12-13
DOWNLOAD ISSUE
Donate

Sponsor
Sponsor
Sponsor

  WINDY CITY TIMES

Anti-gay attack alleged during Pride Parade
by Ross Forman, Windy City Times
2013-07-03

This article shared 8839 times since Wed Jul 3, 2013
facebook twitter pin it google +1 reddit email


An ugly anti-gay incident turned violent shortly before one float began its journey in the annual Chicago Pride Parade, Sunday, June 30.

A police report was filed Monday morning against the float rental company (Chicago-based Associated Attractions) and the unnamed float driver, an independent contractor hired by and provided as part of Associated Attractions' $1,600 float rental fee charged to the Test Positive Aware Network (TPAN), as the incident involved TPAN's Ride For AIDS Chicago float.

There was a problem with one of the Ride For AIDS Chicago flags on the left side of the float, as it fell off along Montrose Avenue as the float made its way to the parade starting point at Broadway. Ride participants who were on the float were shouting at the driver to slow down or to stop, so the flag could be fixed, said Ryan VanMeter, TPAN's director of development. "The driver slammed on the breaks and a number of our riders literally fell over."

The driver also was driving "erratic" during the parade, VanMeter said.

"Even [during] the parade, we all had to hold onto each other [while on the float] for safety. He kept slamming on the brakes and accelerating, yet I don't know how easy or difficult it is to drive a parade float," said Richard Cordova, TPAN's director of endurance events. "Maybe that's something all floats [endure,] but I can tell you that, if we weren't holding on to each other, we were falling over."

VanMeter said the driver reportedly spat out his car window on a Ride participant, Brandon Downs, and allegedly called him a 'faggot' after Downs asked the driver to slow down so people would not get injured. "I heard the word 'faggot' come out of the driver's mouth several times," said Leslee Pawelko, who will be riding in the upcoming Ride For AIDS Chicago.

The driver tells a different story in a Wednesday conversation with Chuck Huser, general manager at Associated Attractions. "He said he never called anyone a … faggot, which is a word I don't even like to say [for this interview]," Huser said.

Matt Swenson, a Ride participant, was trying to fix the flag while the driver was erratically driving, VanMeter said. "As float participants were yelling for the driver to slow down or to stop, Matt banged on the driver's truck to get his attention. That's when the driver got out of the car and started wailing on Matt."

Swenson suffered a bloody nose from the punch.

The driver's side of the story involving Swenson was, again, different. Huser said the driver told him that he simply grabbed Swenson around the neck after Swenson made contact with his truck.

Huser said the driver's physical actions "were not correct," regardless of what precipitated them. "Violence is never the answer," Huser said.

Huser said the driver, who he would not name, has towed floats for Associated Attractions for three or four years, including past Pride Parades, and he has never had an incident previously with the driver.

Huser said his company will not re-hire this driver ever again.

"I just heard about the incident [on Wednesday] via an email. I was shocked and sick to my stomach just reading the email," Huser said "If [the driver] did say that [anti-gay] term he is alleged to have said, that is just one person's view, definitely not the views of our company.

"This was just a very unfortunate incident that we hope never happens again. We are very sorry for the driver's actions."

Guadalupe Aquino, another Ride participant who was around the float, was scraped and bloodied when the driver went after Swenson, Cordova said.

Paul Hirsch, who will be riding in the annual 200-mile Ride For AIDS Chicago in mid-July, photographed the physical assault involving Swenson, which occurred close to the intersection of Montrose and Clifton streets.

"The Ride For AIDS Chicago participants were all in a bit of shock and tried to keep it together," VanMeter said. "With everything going on—[including an estimated] 1 million [spectators] and more than 200 floats—our concern was to confirm the immediate safety of our participants and the victims, to finish the parade, and to get everyone and our belongings off of the float at the end.

"It was decided that since the victim [Swenson] was only bleeding slightly and did not require medical attention, that they would go first thing Monday morning to file a police report."

"I don't know what set him off. Maybe he didn't know he was going to be in the Pride Parade. Or maybe he didn't know he was going to be pulling the Ride For AIDS Chicago float," Cordova said. "People still have a lot of misconceptions about HIV. If he didn't or doesn't know how HIV is transmitted, and then he shows up and sees that he is pulling the Ride For AIDS Chicago float, perhaps he was scared or angry. Maybe he thought he was going to get AIDS [just by driving the truck pulling the float.]

"I answer questions all the time, almost every day, from people with misconceptions about how HIV/AIDS is transmitted. Who knows what this [driver] was thinking."

TPAN officials also have been in contact with Ald. Tom Tunney's office, Cordova said. Plus, TPAN has reached out to Jose Rijos, the LGBT liaison for the Chicago Police Department.

"We need to make sure that this never happens again; this is unacceptable," Cordova said.

TPAN said a formal letter is being sent to Associated Attractions.


This article shared 8839 times since Wed Jul 3, 2013
facebook twitter pin it google +1 reddit email

Out and Aging
Presented By

  ARTICLES YOU MIGHT LIKE

Gay News

ProudToRun poised to return in 2024, fighting through lack of resources 2024-04-24
- Chicago's 42-year-old LGBTQ+ running event, ProudToRun, is so far set to return June 2024 following the cancellation of last year's race. The city's original Pride Week running event took a hiatus last year due to a ...


Gay News

JoJo Siwa and Sapphira Cristal among Chicago Pride Fest headliners in June 2024-04-23
--From a press release - Natasha Bedingfield, JoJo Siwa, Sapphira Cristál, Bob the Drag Queen, Amber Riley and Empress Of are headlining this year's Chicago Pride Fest®, taking place June 22nd and 23rd in the city's landmark LGBTQ+ Northalsted community. Other ...


Gay News

Schools are back in downsized Chicago Pride Parade after merging under 'welcoming schools' umbrella 2024-04-18
- At least four schools are back in the Chicago Pride Parade lineup after they were previously told they wouldn't be able to march in this year's celebration due to new limitations enforced by the city. They ...


Gay News

Chicago Pride Parade downsizing: Politicians, corporations most affected, but private schools could still be in 2024-04-16
- Nearly 100 groups are on the waitlist to be in this year's Chicago Pride Parade after city officials mandated the annual event be cut by almost 40 percent. The waitlist for the June 30 parade includes ...


Gay News

LGBTQ+ film fest Queer Expression to feature Alexandra Billings in 'Queen Tut' 2024-04-12
--From a press release - CHICAGO — Pride Film Fest celebrates its second decade with a new name—QUEER EXPRESSION—and has announced its slate of LGBTQ+-themed feature, mid-length and short films for in-person and virtual events in April and May. QUEER EXPRESSI ...


Gay News

Cook County Commissioner Kevin Morrison announces inaugural Cook County LGBTQ+ Youth Art Competition 2024-04-10
--From a press release - Schaumburg, Ill. — April 9, 2024 — Cook County Commissioner Kevin Morrison recently announced the firs ever LGBTQ+ Youth Art Competition. The competition's theme is "Pride is Power!" and will set the ton for Pride celebrations ...


Gay News

Chicago Pride Parade smaller this year amid 'safety and logistical' concerns 2024-04-09
- The Chicago Pride Parade is downsizing this year due to 'safety and logistical' concerns brought on by the city. The parade, which is set for June 30, will be capped at 125 entries, said Tim Frye, ...


Gay News

Blackhawks celebrate Pride Night 2024-04-03
- On March 26, the Chicago Blackhawks held its annual Pride Night at the United Center. The home team defeated the Calgary Flames 3-1 as Jason Dickinson scored twice and Petr Mrazek made 38 saves for the ...


Gay News

Red Stars tie Orlando, remain unbeaten 2024-03-30
- The Chicago Red Stars remained unbeaten in their first three regular-season matches after a 1-1 draw with the Orlando Pride on March 29. It's the first time since 2019 that the club has gone unbeaten in ...


Gay News

Pride 365 event emphasizes year-round support for LGBTQ+ employees 2024-03-07
- Queer employees are queer all year-round. The need for employers to accordingly support and uplift them year-round was the core message at Howard Brown Health and Citywide Pride's Pride 365 "Out of Office to Out in ...


Gay News

Center on Halsted to host trans youth & family summit 2024-02-19
- Center on Halsted, 3656 N. Halsted St., has announced that its Trans Youth & Family Summit 2024 will take place March 16. This year marks the sixth annual event, which partners between Youth Services' Pride Youth ...


Gay News

Lakeside Pride Wilde Cabaret Valentine's Day Feb. 17 2024-02-16
--From a press release - Lakeside Pride Wilde Cabaret puts their own spin on Valentine's Day with a show celebrating things done and sacrificed for love - not just romantic love, but love for pets, friends, family and art. Join the ...


Gay News

GLAAD, NFL host third annual pre-Super Bowl event 'A Night of Pride' 2024-02-08
- On Feb. 7, LGBTQ+ media-advocacy organization GLAAD, along with The National Football League (NFL), hosted the third annual "A Night of Pride" at Caesar's Palace in Super Bowl LVIII's host city of Las Vegas, a press ...


Gay News

Chicago Fire FC announces 2024 theme nights; Pride Night will be June 1 2024-01-19
--From a press release - CHICAGO (Jan. 18, 2024) — Chicago Fire FC announced the club's theme nights for select home matches during the 2024 regular season, driven by Carvana. The Club's 2024 calendar features 11 theme nights, including the return ...


Gay News

WORLD Austria proposal, conferences, Pride marches, tennis player, Gay Games 2023-11-03
- In Austria, a historic proposal by the country's Ministry of Justice sees 33 million euros (approximately $35 million U.S.) set aside to compensate those who were persecuted or convicted of consensual same-sex acts—although critics say th ...


 


Copyright © 2024 Windy City Media Group. All rights reserved.
Reprint by permission only. PDFs for back issues are downloadable from
our online archives.

Return postage must accompany all manuscripts, drawings, and
photographs submitted if they are to be returned, and no
responsibility may be assumed for unsolicited materials.

All rights to letters, art and photos sent to Nightspots
(Chicago GLBT Nightlife News) and Windy City Times (a Chicago
Gay and Lesbian News and Feature Publication) will be treated
as unconditionally assigned for publication purposes and as such,
subject to editing and comment. The opinions expressed by the
columnists, cartoonists, letter writers, and commentators are
their own and do not necessarily reflect the position of Nightspots
(Chicago GLBT Nightlife News) and Windy City Times (a Chicago Gay,
Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender News and Feature Publication).

The appearance of a name, image or photo of a person or group in
Nightspots (Chicago GLBT Nightlife News) and Windy City Times
(a Chicago Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender News and Feature
Publication) does not indicate the sexual orientation of such
individuals or groups. While we encourage readers to support the
advertisers who make this newspaper possible, Nightspots (Chicago
GLBT Nightlife News) and Windy City Times (a Chicago Gay, Lesbian
News and Feature Publication) cannot accept responsibility for
any advertising claims or promotions.

 
 

TRENDINGBREAKINGPHOTOS







Sponsor
Sponsor


 



Donate


About WCMG      Contact Us      Online Front  Page      Windy City  Times      Nightspots
Identity      BLACKlines      En La Vida      Archives      Advanced Search     
Windy City Queercast      Queercast Archives     
Press  Releases      Join WCMG  Email List      Email Blast      Blogs     
Upcoming Events      Todays Events      Ongoing Events      Bar Guide      Community Groups      In Memoriam     
Privacy Policy     

Windy City Media Group publishes Windy City Times,
The Bi-Weekly Voice of the Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Trans Community.
5315 N. Clark St. #192, Chicago, IL 60640-2113 • PH (773) 871-7610 • FAX (773) 871-7609.