By now many of you may have heard what happend after Blowpony Saturday night. Unfortunately, I was one of the people who was physically assualted and then received negligent treatment from the Portland police afterward. Right now, I'm planning on going to the Sexual Minorities Roundtable meeting on July 14th to talk about my experience. Below is a copy of the statement that I plan on reading there. If anyone would like to come, I would love the support.
thanks.

It is with a heavy heart and a bruised face that I write this letter but I think it's important that my experience be known.
In the early morning hours of Sunday June 14th, I was the victim of a hate crime on the corner of NW 6th and Couch. This happened outside of Casey's, a gay bar where I am a dj and it was 2:30 in the morning, after the bar had closed.
When I came outside to make my way home, I saw that a friend of mine was talking with the Portland Police. She had been punched in the face by a man who had been spouting homophobic remarks at her and another friend of mine. Her nose was broken and the police had arrived to investigate this crime. While I was watching this interaction, a group of men approached the scene also shouting homophobic remarks. I walked up to them to ask them to leave the area and the next thing I remember, I was on the ground with my mouth bleeding. I didn't really know or understand what had happened. I had been punched in the mouth and knocked out.
The Portland Police department, who was on the scene, was completely negligent to my situation. They talked to the guy who said I had started it, yet there wasn't a scratch on him and I was the one on the ground bleeding. As I was sitting on the ground, the police officers refused to let a friend of mine bring me ice for my face, threatening to arrest him if he attempted to approach me. Three police officers were standing over me, firing questions at me in a harsh, aggressive manner. Having been the victim of hate crimes in the past and feeling extremely confused, hurt, and threatened, I went into shock and was unable to answer their questions. They responded to this by rolling their eyes at each other and laughing, implying that my response to this trauma was ridiculous. Even though two of my friends who witnessed the incident were able to tell the police what happened, they refused to do anything about it because I was unable to talk. Not once did they offer to provide medical attention to me or my injuries. They ended up leaving me there with a friend and the guy who did this was still in the area. When my friend asked if we could get a ride home, they responded with "We're not a taxi service" as they walked away from us. Luckily we were able to get back into the bar and wait for a cab.

The lack of compassion and negligent response from the Portland Police Department is not isolated to my situation. In fact, earlier in the evening, people on the balcony above the bar had thrown several objects onto patrons of the bar who were outside smoking. These items included glass bottles, cups of urine, and many homophobic and hateful and violent remarks. The police had come to the bar due to capacity concerns and refused to acknowledge the dangerous situation that was happening outside of the bar. They actually demanded that we refuse re-entry to the bar, keeping the bar patrons outside and in the line of danger.
On Sunday afternoon, the same day, a friend of mine, a transgender woman, was assaulted on Portland public transportation. Her assailant made homophobic and transphobic remarks and physically pushed her. The police came and found the man who did this but when she asked to file a report, they essentially refused to let her, claiming that it wasn't necessary because the man was intoxicated.
The man who broke my friend's nose was quickly arrested, handcuffed, and placed in the police car while the police were asking my friend questions about what happened. The man that punched me was talked to while leaning against his car and let go shortly after. The man who punched my friend was black and the man who punched me was white. I also find this extremely problematic. While I'm grateful that the man who punched my friend was apprehended, I don't feel like the two assailants were treated in the same manner and it's hard for me to believe that race had nothing to do with it.
Again, I don't feel like these are isolated incidents but that there is a larger problem at hand here. At minimum, this is a training issue. This is something that needs to be addressed immediately and seriously by not only the police department but by the entire community. It's time that the Portland police stop allowing hate crimes to happen. It's time that the Portland police show some compassion and understanding to all of Portland's residents. If the Portland police are unable or unwilling to do this, it's time we as community members hold them accountable and let them know that their negligence will not be tolerated.
Jose

On another note we all need to unify and stand up for each of our community family members, less then two months earlier I was attacked and punched in the face just outside the door of our club by a male who was harassing queer men & women who were outside for fresh air and to have a smoke, this male was from the top floor apt where many cups of urine, beer and glass bottles were thrown down upon people standing outside this past Saturday, he was arrested and I'm still waiting for my day in court?
I think it's very important we don't give up ground and that we all stand together on this and all other attacks, we need to hold a discussion and I plan personally holding a demo on the corner where Jose, Heather, and Kayenne were attacked anyone care to join me?