Town Officials Respond to anti-LGBTQ+ Crimes in Provincetown
There hadn't been an anti-LGBTQ+ crime in Provincetown since 2017 when a man was hit over the head with a beer bottle in a bar while his assailant shouted anti-queer slurs. The perp, named Scott Rego, was sentenced to two-and-a-half years in the county jail on the assault charge and an additional six months on the civil rights charge, according to a 2019 report in the Cape Cod Times.
The two most recent crimes happened within hours of each other, which led some speculation that they may be related; but there has no proof that this is the case. The first happened on early morning hours of June 30 when weekend visitor Chris Kostka was attacked by three men while walking along Bradford Street. The victim told NBC News that three men came out a black Lexus sedan and approached him shouting anti-queer slurs.
"All of a sudden I just feel myself getting pushed to the ground," he told NBC News. "I fly forward and I turn I see three guys and of course, I'm stunned from just being thrown to the pavement and I just cover my face, go into a fetal position as I'm getting kicked and getting called some gay slurs."
Kostka said the three men were ages 20-30, wore jeans and t-shirts and one was said to be wearing a black cap. He also took note of the car they drove adorned with a Trump bumper sticker.
"I was just in, like, shock," Kostka told the news channel. "You let your guard down because it's such a happy place for everyone. It's so safe, and you just don't expect that."
Though he suffered a bruise on his face, Kostka didn't need hospitalization after being evaluated by paramedics Monday afternoon.
Provincetown police are investigating the first incident, including a review of security camera footage from homes around Howland Street, Police Chief Greg Hennick and Town Manager Alex Morse told the Provincetown Independent on July 7. The police dept. learned about that attack from a social media post during the day on June 30, Morse said, and encouraged the victim to come to the police station and file a report.
Later on July 1 came the second incident involving anti-queer slurs being shouted at pedestrians along Bradford Street. In a more recent report, the Independent writes that a witness to the second incident called police while the incident was unfolding. Hennick said that as a result the police were able to apprehend the vehicle that same evening and identify the occupants. The department filed two charges of disorderly conduct against each of the three people in the vehicle in Orleans District Court on July 3.
The men who were charged are Ryan Mahimtura, 19, of Framingham; Henry Ward, 19, of Hudson; and a person under age 18, also of Hudson, according to a news release from the town.
The person who reported the slurs, who only wanted to be called by his first name of John, told the Independent that around 9:30 p.m. he was riding his bicycle west on Bradford Street near Winthrop Street when he heard the occupants of the car yell at him, "Go kill yourself," followed by an anti-gay slur. He added that he also heard the occupants yell the same phrase, followed by an anti-Black slur, at a Jamaican man walking nearby.
John told the Independent that he turned his bicycle around and tried to follow the car, eventually getting video footage of it and its license plate, which he gave to the police.
The following day another person reported experiencing a similar incident, which why Hennick said there were two charges of disorderly conduct.
But while the three perps in the June 30 assault are still-at-large, Hennick gave an update on the case on July 7. "We've found footage of our victim" in the area, Hennick told the Independent. "We're still in the process of collecting surveillance footage to tie it all together, so that is still very much under investigation."
The town held a public forum on July 8 to discuss the recent events with residents and to outline the police dept.'s response and its advice for people worried about their safety. Before the event both Morse and Hennick spoke to the Independent about the anti-queer bias happening in a town known for diversity and acceptance.
"If someone drives by and calls us a f—, it never feels good, but sometimes we just sort of say, 'It is what it is' — it's just something we have to accept as a gay person," Morse told the Independent. "I think we want people to know it's not something we should accept, particularly here in Provincetown, and while we may not always be able to file charges, depending on the details of the incident, it's important to react seriously when we can.
"It's also important to call and file a report to document an incident," Morse continued, "so that if the same people come back to town and do the same thing, we have grounds for more secure charges."
Hennick said that the police dept.'s safety tips include "charging your phone before you go out for the night, making sure you don't walk alone, and being aware of your surroundings." He also advised taking photos and videos to help in any investigations, but added do not put yourself at risk.
"Provincetown is a very safe community, and we don't want to make people feel like they need to be constantly on guard," Morse told the Independent. "We've seen over the holiday weekend that people are still going to experience joy.
"But it's important to remember that even in Provincetown there's a risk of something happening, so we encourage people to make good decisions, surround themselves with friends, and keep their phone charged," he said.