Antigay Violence Rattles Georgetown

Georgetown University and its students are searching for answers after two assaults in which assailants allegedly used antigay slurs rocked the school's Washington campus this weekend.

The most recent attack, which took place early Sunday morning, prompted the second student gathering within a week to show support for the victims of the assaults, the Washington Post reports. Georgetown students, faculty, and staff met in the middle of campus Monday and listened to representatives of student organizations and a university vice president speak, the report says.

"A lot of people are really hurt and are trying to figure out what the next step is," Robert Byrne, a Georgetown junior who organized Monday's Vigil Against Assault, told the Post. "We want to use this time as a healing moment and to express solidarity with the victims."

Both incidents took place near Georgetown's campus.

The first happened last week when a female student wearing a gay rights shirt was attacked by two men. The men reportedly shouted antigay slurs, pushed her to the ground, and hit her with her own book bag, the Post reports.

Sunday's assault happened under similar circumstances. A male student walking near campus was barraged with antigay slurs by a man and then attacked. The assailant fled the scene, the report says.

Because both incidents occurred off campus, District of Columbia police, not the university's force, would handle any investigations. But D.C. police say no investigation can take place unless charges are filed, so they are working with campus gay groups and encouraging them to press charges, the Post report says.

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