No doubt this was a hate crime and it needs to be investigated to bring the perpetrators to justice. But I see no indication that fraternities are involved, so no need to wave stereotypes around when the facts are bad enough on their own merits.

is there anyway to video these groups of people who are harrasing people and post it on youtube? i dont get out much on the weekend to Pike/Pine, but i would be the first to stick up for anyone i saw geting harrased. why did that comet bouncer not do something when he saw that go down?

it seems like a great topic for the stranger to do some actual reporting on, like interview the people convicted on the crime, so we can learn if these are the hobo's from cal anderson, or are they 'frat types' from wherever. im guessing its the former. oldtime hipsters may decry/lookdown on the 'type' of crowd ljning up outside of VonTrapps and Peso's these days, but they're probably not actively assaulitng people on a regular basis. the cal anderson street crowd however. maybe some tainted heroin can get released and clean up some of the problem.

I don't know if anyone has mentioned this, but a woman was reportedly raped in an alley in this area last weekend too.

http://seattletimes.com/html/localnews/2…

@6 nothing in this post assumes we need to stop the entire world for these transgressions. Justice is about bearing witness first, it's not an easy or short process.

Where's the Mayor on this? Murray should be on the phone begging Ade to make a police report, and personally guaranteeing he will get decent treatment. That cop union pandering police chief of his should be there to make sure it happens.

Well, when citizens make cops jobs harder by making them talk pretty to criminals, have them removed from duty because a "Stranger" writer interferes with them while they are doing their jobs, or as I have personally have watched, people taking unauthorized pictures of them, putting them and their families in dangers way, then people are going are going to see crime increase because there are going to be fewer people who want to be cops for having to deal with the hassles and lawsuits of pompous, arrogant citizens who think that a cop of 1950 is what a cop should be in todays world, without having the benefit of actually donning a badge and doing the job - if even for a day. I said it would happen and sure enough it is and will continue to get worse as this city gets bigger-

@11

There's no such thing as taking unauthorized pictures of cops. It's legal to take pictures of cops. End of story.

It's not a lack of good cops who want to police Seattle. The applicants are there. It's the impossibility of getting rid of all the bad cops who run the force today. Look what happens when you so much as try to give a bad cop a day off.

You should to try to learn a few things about the law and the police in Seattle, then come back and try again.

@12

Yeah, I’m not sure where you got your knowledge of the law and contrary to yours and public opinion; there are times you can’t take pictures of cops. Nice try…

The majority of the cops in Seattle are good hard working men and women who are willing to make an ultimate sacrifice to protect the citizens of Seattle. Are you willing to do that job #12?

You gave #11 some advice and I will give you a little myself. You might want to learn MORE about the law and maybe you should learn MORE about the SPD. I suggest maybe either becoming member of the SPD or maybe if that’s a little to much, might I suggest a ride along, maybe during an afternoon or midnight shift so you know exactly what the cops of Seattle have to endure every day they put on their uniforms and go to work.

Seattle is a lot less tolerant that it population tells itself.

These usually arent some random rednecks in from Skagit or eastern Washington. They live in the Seattle metro like the rest of us.

The problem is, too many people excuse racism and homophobia when it happens. Which is, strangely, not the case in the region with sexism towards women.

Ive seen seattlites give all kinds of excuses after witnesses one of their friends say or do something blatantly homophobic or racist.

"Hes not a gay basher, he just gets drunk and gets a little crazy! He even has a gay friend on facebook!"

"Shes not racist, she just lost control and said the nword. Ive seen her open doors for black coworkers. Would a racist do that!"

This region lives off an artificial self perception that its sold to the rest of America. Socially progressive. Tolerant. Less anti-poor than red states. The reality of it is utterly different.

I am a straight white middle class blonde woman, so 'perhaps' (she says with some sarcasm and sadness) I have a very different experience and view of the Seattle police than some up on Cap Hill, sadly.
I was assaulted on a bus in the summer, a dude grabbed at me on a crowded D line bus, and although it was nothing too serious, I reported it to the transit police, who then sent it to the Sheriff's Dept. They were really nice. I feel sad that I get better treatment when this shit happens.
Other bus riders heard me yell LOUDLY at the guy to leave me the f alone, and they all hid in their iPhones, and did nothing, I might add. Even guys twice his size..

The guy I spent an hour on the phone with from the Sheriff's office asked me a whole bunch of questions too, but said that I could have been wearing a bikini, it still gave the dude no right to touch me.
If Police are saying anything other than that to people, they are not human beings.

He also said, and this is why I bring it up, that all crimes like that should be reported to them, because you never know what piece of info you have on your assailant that might help out other cases, if there's a serial asshole on the loose, for example.

Perhaps if City cops don't respond well, try the Sheriff's Dept? But please, report your experiences. Even if over the phone, after the fact. It will still help.

Nobody should ever have to go through a thing like that, no matter how they dress or what they look like.
I hope they catch the f*ckers. I really do.