Table offering Pride flags for those in attendance to hold. Image courtesy of Savannah Trice.
A community vigil and unity walk was held in The Square on Monday to promote nonviolence and support for the LGBTQ+ community in light of the arrests of 12 Salisbury students for first degree assault and related hate crime charges. Police say the assault was believed to be motivated by the victim’s sexual preferences.
The vigil hosted several speakers, including Dr. Angela Freeman of the Salisbury Lambda society, which is an organization for LGBTQ+ students and faculty. Freeman is a professor of biological sciences at SU and a member of the Queer community.
“Today we gather to take a stand against hate and violence in our community,” Freeman said. “Let me be abundantly clear; violence is never okay. No one deserves to be beaten for any reason, whatsoever.”
“This is not just about the queer community. When hate affects one minoritized group, it affects us all.”
Students on campus have discussed the morality of the assault since the initial arrests, as police say the victim was allegedly lured to the apartment under the assumption he would be meeting up with a 16-year-old boy. But the age of consent in Maryland is 16 and police also say the perpetrators allegedly used homophobic slurs during the assault.
Students holding various pride flags. Image courtesy of Savannah Trice.
Another speaker at the vigil was D’Shawn Doughty, president of the Salisbury City Council. Since the assault occurred off-campus and the victim was not a student at SU, this event has impacted the broader community of Salisbury.
“To those shaken by what happened, especially members of the LGBTQ+ community, please know that you are not alone. We are here to say that hate has absolutely no place in Salisbury,” says Doughty.
The violence towards the LGBTQ+ community during the attack with the use of homophobic slurs has made some students question their safety and belonging on campus.
In the middle of the community vigil, a homophobic slur was shouted towards the group from outside The Square. But the crowd of people holding pride flags didn't let the slur interrupt the event, as the speakers never stopped and the group continued to show its pride on campus.
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By SAVANNAH TRICE Staff Writer
Featured images courtesy of Savannah Trice