FRESNO, Calif. — Equality California, the nation’s largest statewide LGBTQ civil rights organization, released the following statement from Executive Director Rick Zbur after the Fresno Bee reported that a group of approximately 40 demonstrators gathered to celebrate Transgender Day of Visibility in Fresno were repeatedly attacked by three men in diesel trucks, employing a tactic called “rolling coal” and yelling anti-transgender slurs:
“The fact that a group of transgender Californians would be attacked in this way for simply being themselves and gathering to celebrate their visibility in the community is completely unacceptable. But it’s also not surprising. Even as our state makes great strides toward guaranteeing civil rights for all LGBTQ people, too many members of our community — especially those who are transgender — continue to face violence, harassment and abuse. It is imperative that the Fresno Police Department thoroughly investigates this apparent hate crime and holds the perpetrators accountable. “The LGBTQ community will not be scared, intimidated or deterred from our fight for full lived equality. We will stand united against anti-transgender hate and violence, anywhere in California or across the country, and we will defeat it every time.”
“The fact that a group of transgender Californians would be attacked in this way for simply being themselves and gathering to celebrate their visibility in the community is completely unacceptable. But it’s also not surprising. Even as our state makes great strides toward guaranteeing civil rights for all LGBTQ people, too many members of our community — especially those who are transgender — continue to face violence, harassment and abuse. It is imperative that the Fresno Police Department thoroughly investigates this apparent hate crime and holds the perpetrators accountable.
“The LGBTQ community will not be scared, intimidated or deterred from our fight for full lived equality. We will stand united against anti-transgender hate and violence, anywhere in California or across the country, and we will defeat it every time.”
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Equality California is the nation’s largest statewide LGBTQ civil rights organization. We bring the voices of LGBTQ people and allies to institutions of power in California and across the United States, striving to create a world that is healthy, just, and fully equal for all LGBTQ people. We advance civil rights and social justice by inspiring, advocating and mobilizing through an inclusive movement that works tirelessly on behalf of those we serve. www.eqca.org
