UPDATE ON: MCDONALDS MANAGER ASSAULTS TRANSGENDER WOMAN OF COLOR

* Post widely *

TransJustice is a Project of

The Audre Lorde Project,

a LGBTST People of Color Center

for Community Organizing

(718) 596-0342 ext 18

National Action Alert: MCDONALDS MANAGER ASSAULTS TRANSGENDER WOMAN OF

COLOR WITH LEAD PIPE; NYPD REFUSES TO ACCEPT HER COMPLAINT /Call Inspector

McCarthy and Officer Bonner at NYPD Midtown South PCT to Demand anti-trans

violence complaint is filed Tel. (212) 239-9811



On July 10th, 2006 at 10pm, Christina Sforza, a transgender woman ate with

her friends at the McDonald's at 341 5th Ave. After eating, she tried to

use the bathroom. The men's bathroom was out of order and all evening men

and women were using the women's bathroom. She asked the person behind

the counter which bathroom she should use and was told to use the women's

bathroom. The victim is diabetic and entered the bathroom to give herself

an insulin injection. While she was in the bathroom, she heard someone

banging on the door yelling that they were going to "kill her." She

waited a moment and then opened the door. An employee in a blue

McDonald's shirt began beating her with a lead pipe and telling her he was

going to "kill her." He used anti-gay and homophobic language. He hit her

on her arms and in the groin area with the pipe while the rest of the

McDonald's staff cheered and chanted, "kill the faggot."



The victim's friend called the police. When they arrived they refused to

let her speak and arrested her for assault. During this time, the victim

discovered that the man with the pipe was a manager. They left her bag at

McDonald's and it contained all her medication, which she must take four

times a day.



After the victim was released from jail, she attempted to file a complaint

against the Manager at McDonalds on six separate occasions; July 18th,

July 21st, July 23rd, July 26th, August 3rd, and August 7th. On each of

these occasions, her request was denied and she encountered harassment,

extremely long wait periods, and was threatened with arrest for "filing a

false report."



The determined victim went to the precinct alone, with legal advocates,

and with friends. Each time her request was denied. In addition, her

attorney, Pooja Gehi, of the Sylvia Rivera Law Project has demanded that

the arresting officer allow her to file a complaint. She supplied

photographic evidence of the victim's injuries as well as eyewitness

testimony from people who were at the incident. This too, was denied.

The officer informed Ms. Gehi that the "case was closed." The Victim filed

a Complaint with the Civilian Complaint Review Board (CCRB) about the

police. But this is unlikely to help her in any way. Ms. Gehi states,

"This incident was illegal on multiple levels; my client was assaulted,

discriminated against, denied her medication, falsely arrested, and denied

her basic right to file a complaint against her assailant."



Now, the victim of a brutal, public assault faces criminal consequences

because of a false arrest and a transphobic perpetrator.

*****

TransJustice, the Trans and Gender Non-Conforming People of Color

political group, is demanding that the NYPD, allow her to file a compliant

and to stop their historic discrimination as well as brutality against

Transgender people. The group is calling for police accountability in

regards to the treatment of NYC Trans and Gender Non-Conforming

communities. TransJustice is calling on elected officials, community

leaders and social justice activists to support this effort.