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 Woman Charged With Beating Gay Marriage
Supporter
by 365Gay.com Newscenter Staff
Posted: June 15, 2007 - 4:30 pm ET
(Boston) A woman who was part of a
conservative Christian group rallying Thursday at the Massachusetts Statehouse
for a proposed constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriage is charged
with assaulting a gay marriage supporter who was attending a rally across the
street opposing the amendment.
Diane Steele, 52, was arraigned Friday on charges
of assault and battery.
Steele, from Richmond in western Massachusetts,
was one of about a hundred protestors calling on state lawmakers to approve the
amendment and send it to voters in 2008.
Steele allegedly crossed the street and slapped
the unidentified person. The victim was startled but not hurt.
Boston Police spokesperson James Kenneally said
Steele apparently decided to "escalate" the debate into a physical
confrontation.
Crowds on both sides of the gay marriage issue
were holding simultaneous rallies across from the Statehouse as lawmakers in a
joint session of the legislature were considering the amendment.
In a session that lasted less than a half-hour
the legislature voted against referring the question to voters. (story)
It is not the first time that a member of a
conservative Christian group has been accused of accosting a gay marriage
supporter.
In April the former leader of a Catholic group
advocating for a constitutional ban on gay marriage was been arraigned on
assault and civil rights violations stemming from a demonstration last
December. (story)
Larry Cirignano, 50, who at the time was the head
of Catholic Citizenship, was alleged to have attacked a woman taking part in a
counter demonstration at an anti-gay rally in front of Worcester City Hall last
December 16.
Sarah Loy, 27, was part of a group who stood near
the front of the rally where Cirignano was speaking.
Loy was carrying a sign reading “No
discrimination in the Constitution”.
Cirignano reportedly had just finished leading
the Pledge of Allegiance when he spotted Loy and her sign.
Police allege that he left the podium and tackled
Loy to the ground. “You need to get out. You need to get out of here right
now,” he reportedly told her as her head was pushed into the concrete
sidewalk.
As Loy lay bruised and bloodied on the sidewalk
Cirignano reportedly returned to lectern, joining other leaders of the protest
in condemning same-sex marriage and demanding the proposed amendment be put on
the ballot.
©365Gay.com 2007
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