(SEE VIDEO AT BOTTOM)The victim of a gay-bias attack in the West Village spoke out Wednesday about growing violence against members of his community.Damian Furtch, 26, was pummeled early Sunday by two suspects shouting anti-gay epithets, police said.The beating was the third bias attack in the neighborhood since October."The attack against me is part of the larger issue of violence against gay and transgender people in New York City," Furtch said in a statement."This has to stop. Under no circumstance should a person be attacked for their sexual orientation."City leaders were also outraged over the hate crime. "We are sickened by this hateful attack on our streets and will not stand for it," said City Council Speaker Christine Quinn (D-Manhattan), who handed out flyers condemning the assault.Furtch said a group of men first harassed him and a friend about their bright-colored clothing while they ordered food at the McDonald's at W. Third St. and Sixth Ave."I stepped outside . . . in an effort to avoid the tension in the restaurant," Furtch said.But two of the men – believed to be between 18 and 20 years old, one with a tattoo of a cross under his left eye – followed Furtch to the sidewalk and set upon him, police said.The crime comes months after two similar attacks.In October, Frederick Giunta was busted for beating a bartender inside Julius Bar on W. 10th St.Days earlier, Matthew Francis, 21, allegedly shouted homophobic slurs and assaulted a man in the Stonewall Inn.Police ask anyone with information on the most recent attack to call the Crime Stoppers hotline, (800) 577-TIPS.jkemp@nydailynews.comAll News: http://www.nydailynews.com/news/ny_crime/2011/03/30/2011-03-30_damian_furtch_victim_of_manhattan_gaybias_attack_says_its_part_of_larger_problem.html
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Planet of the Blind 