Video: Surveillance Footage of West Village Gay Bashing

Damian Furtch

On Sunday, 26-year-old Damian Furtch was beaten outside the West 4th Street McDonald's in the West Village by two men spewing homophobic slurs, possibly because of his brightly colored clothing. Last night, police released a video of the beating (below), which left Furtch with two black eyes and multiple stitches. He said, "The attack against me is part of the larger issue of violence against gay and transgender people in New York City."

The attack came after Furtch and a co-worker from the Pink Tea Cup were harassed by a group of men inside the McDonald's. In an effort to diffuse the situation, Furtch left the fast food spot while his friend got their order, but two of his taunters apparently weren't done with him yet. The two men—believed to be between 18 and 20 years old, one with a tattoo of a cross under his left eye—followed them onto the street and started wailing on Furtch.

"One of the guys hit me in the face, my right side, the worst side with the stitches. I was sort of jumbled from that and seconds later I felt a second hit on my left side and then a third punch towards the top of my head," Furtch told NY1. "They were saying, ya know, you f'ing f----t, and things like that."

There have been two other gay bashings reported in the area in the past few months, one at the city's oldest gay bar and one at the city's most famous gay bar.

The assailants are still at large. If you know anything about the two men who attacked Furtch (whose boss describes him as a "gentle giant") the NYPD urges that you call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477) or submit tips at nypdcrimestoppers.com or even text info to 274637 (CRIMES) or TIP577.

Contact the author of this article or email tips@gothamist.com with further questions, comments or tips.

By Garth Johnston in News on March 31, 2011 10:31 AM

Comments [rss]

RonnyMcDonny

Why no physical description of the assailants? If they were wearing Princeton hoodies, would you mention that? If they were extremely pale-skinned with foot-long earlobes, would you mention that? If it's okay to acknowledge that they were men, why isn't it okay to acknowledge that they were Caucasian men; or Latino men; or Asian men; or Black men. When race isn't mentioned, race is assumed. And that's the journalist's own form of inbred politically-correct bigotry.

Slie

I'm not a gay man, BUT anyone hitting someone like that fo no reason should get his @ss kicked. Too bad NYC do'nt alow firearms...

Gaetano Giacalone

after looking at the video, i see a guy say something to some other guy and it looks like he got popped for saying something he didnt like. I dont condone violence, but I wouldnt call that gay bashing.

whitecastlerock

I don't condone violence either but that is clearly gay bashing. A homosexual male is beaten to a pulp-over a perceived slight?

hb78

Very true. I've had some gnarly gay proposals thrown at me by drunken gay men before. Luckily I just laugh it off and kindly turn them down. But most of the dudes hanging out and drinking downtown wont turn away as calmly as myself.

I obviously don't condone violence of any kind toward anyone but this is a side of the story that's never discussed.

whitecastlerock

Even if he was cruising for men, does getting his faced beaten to a pulp seem warranted?

whitecastlerock

Scum of the earth

Sinchy

Should be too hard to find a guy with a cross tattoo under his eye in a police perp book. A tattoo like that just screams prior arrests. But seriously, I would love to see these thugs get some street comeuppance.

RightWingGenius

Don't worry about getting back at him. I would be willing to bet this POS is in a wheelchair or dead within 5 yrs due to a bullet from one of his "brothers" in the hood....Hopefully dead so my tax dollars don't go to feed and house this scumbag.

polskiedukarty

I think we are overdue for some gun-wielding gay gangs. Gay men of NYC need to arm themselves. I would even suggest gay gangs do some some straight-bashing to strike some fear into these fuckers.

otisandlucy

Gays are less likely to be victims of violence then hetrosexuals. That dose not make this any less apauling, but it's the Times' decision to run this and report nothing on the severe beating yesterday of a white girl by two black girls at a McDonalds in MD that is disgusting and boarders on criminial.

FU Boy

Right, escalate the violence. Gay Men of NYC: Go get some napalm and fire-bomb a breeder's neighborhood. Sorry for the hyperbole, but really, two wrongs do not cancel out.

I do agree that people should defend themselves, but advocating violent retaliation is just as knee-jerk aggressive as the jackasses that did this.

randomtransplant

If arming yourself was all it took nobody would be oppressed. Shouldn't have to pack heat just 'cause your going to mc donalds anyway.

Jon

Why not? Why is it someone else's responsibility to protect you? The Supreme Court has ruled repeatedly that individuals don't have a right to protection by police. Members of minorities in particular should take care to be capable of self-defense.