Pillars Of Drag Community Attacked Viciously In York, PA
The incident began with hateful slurs and ended with one victim being choked until losing consciousness.
Featured Image: Getty Images
On Friday, Aug. 22, victims of an anti-LGBTQ+ hate crime reported being attacked outside the Gift Horse Brewing Company in York, PA. York City Police Commissioner Michael Muldrow publicly called out the “hate-fueled violence” and has ordered detectives to thoroughly review the incident.
“It is with great sadness that we must address a disgusting act of hate that began in the Gift Horse Beer Garden yesterday and eventually escalated into violence further down the street,” venue management shared on Facebook. “Several despicable, poor excuses for human beings followed, harassed and violently attacked 3 people solely because they (the disgusting individuals) viewed the 3 as different and not confirming [sic] to the “norm.”
Image via Facebook
According to details shared on social media by nightlife photographer Brady Pappas, 28, Pappas and two friends (Vayne Disharoon and Tragedy “Sible Sible” Stackhouse) were harassed as they left the outdoor beer garden. A group of customers ran after them, “screaming at us and calling us faggots.” Pappas wrote that they were surrounded on the sidewalk as the perps taunted, “If you wanna dress like women act like women.”
The group threw Pappas’ friend, Vayne, to the ground and “choked them to the point that they turned purple, passed out, and began seizing after coming back to consciousness about 5 seconds later.”
“Tragedy and I were trying everything we could to help. I truly did not know what was going to happen to my sister as I was sobbing, trying to pull them off of Vayne, begging for them to stop,” Pappas wrote.
Image via Facebook
Members of the staff acted quickly, according to the beer garden’s post. They stated that two staff members ran to aid the victims, one of them subduing one perpetrator for nearly 10 minutes until police arrived. Reportedly, allies and community bystanders consoled the victims. Both Vayne and the offender, per Pappas’ post, were charged with disorderly conduct. Earlier in the evening, Vayne had exchanged words with some of the offenders who had been seated near them indoors, and who had directed anti-queer slurs at them.
Pappas wrote their post at about 2 am the night of the crime from the ER, where they were accompanying Vayne. “And in true Sible Sible fashion, Vayne is still worried about their gigs and not making it to the highly anticipated drag brunch at Handsome Cab in the morning.”
Pappas also credits Sible Sible (Vayne) and Tragedy with having created a community for drag and queer people to thrive in Downtown York.
Both staff members have provided full statements to the police, and Gift Horse has offered camera footage and the names of the perps, which were obtained from their tabs. Captain Daniel Lentz, Chief of Staff with the York City Police Dept., has confirmed that they are still actively investigating. “We are hoping to have more details in the days to come,” he tells GO. The department’s new trauma responder counselor has also been deployed to follow up with the people affected by the incident.
Image via Facebook
