Police Response to Man Who Has Repeatedly Attacked Gay Bar Sparks Outrage

The police response to a string of attacks on a gay bar in New York City has sparked outrage in the wake of a deadly shooting at an LGBTQ nightclub in Colorado.

David DeParolesa, the owner of VERS, located on 9th Avenue in the Hell's Kitchen neighborhood, said someone has thrown a brick at the windows of his bar three times over the span of a week.

Saturday's incident, which was captured on surveillance footage, was "the fourth time someone has thrown a brick at our window—the third time this week alone—and while we don't know for certain it was the same person each time, we do know that there is a person or multiple people who have made it their mission to intimidate and attempt to harm our patrons," DeParolesa told Newsweek on Monday.

"We urgently need to find this person before they escalate their attack or set their sights on our peers in the community. An attack on one of us is an attack on all of us, and we want to do everything in our power—right now—to keep other bars and queer spaces in the neighborhood safe."

DeParolesa told Gothamist on Sunday that he has reported each incident to the New York Police Department, but that detectives dismissed his suggestion that the incident could be motivated by hate and discouraged him from reporting it to the Hate Crimes Task Force.

"I said, 'We could be targeted because we're a gay bar,'" DeParolesa said. "One of the officers said, 'Well you can't know that.'"

Police also did not ask for a copy of the surveillance footage of the latest incident, he said. The other two incidents in the past week, which occurred on November 12 and 15, were not captured on video.

"They weren't seemingly interested in investigating it at the moment. They were really nonchalant," he said.

A spokesperson for the NYPD confirmed to Newsweek on Monday that the department is investigating "a series of criminal mischief incidents" that took place at VERS between November 13 and 19.

The spokesperson did not respond to questions asking for a response to DeParolesa's comments or say if the incidents would be investigated as hate crimes.

On Monday, DeParolesa told Newsweek that the NYPD had "reached out to me directly, increased their patrol presence and committed to follow up."

Erik Bottcher, a City Councilmember who represents Hell's Kitchen and is gay, said on Twitter that the attacks were "hate crimes against the LGBTQ+ community."

He told Gothamist that the NYPD's Hate Crimes Task Force should have been alerted "after the first brick."

"That clearly didn't happen here and we need to find out why that is and make sure it doesn't happen again," he added.

There is no evidence as yet that these incidents were hate crimes, and an investigation is ongoing.

Mark D. Levine, the Manhattan Borough President, tweeted: "The epidemic of anti-LGBTQ+ violence is national. A well-known gay bar on Manhattan's west side has been attacked repeatedly in recent weeks. We can not stand for this."

Shortly after the incident on Saturday night, a gunman opened fire inside Club Q in Colorado Springs, killing five and injuring many more. Patrons subdued the suspect (22-year-old Anderson Lee Aldrich) until police arrived and arrested him.

The mass shooting has prompted alarm in the LGBTQ community and a fierce outcry against the anti-LGBTQ rhetoric promoted by some right-wingers.

New York Gov. Kathy Hochul announced on Sunday that state police would increase surveillance and protection for the the LGBTQ community and others at risk of hate crimes.

DeParolesa said members of the LGBTQ community "often have to create our own safe spaces—and put systems in place to try and ensure that any bad actors are unsuccessful.

"That's why we created VERS, and why we remain open for business. It's also why we have windows made of shatterproof glass. It's a sad reality that we have to take those steps, but it's a reality, nonetheless. We are undeterred and unflinchingly focused on continuing to provide our patrons, our peers and our community at large with a fun, welcoming and safe space."

Bottcher has been contacted for further comment.

Update 11/21/22, 9:30 a.m. ET: This article has been updated with further comment from David DeParolesa.