A rally was held Monday Photo: Make the Road New York
July 1, 2019 By Christian Murray
Two transgender women were the victims of a hate-motivated attack in Jackson Heights over the weekend and they are calling on law enforcement to crack down on anti-trans attacks.
Bianey Garcia, an organizer with Make the Road NY, and Norma Uriero said that they were working on a documentary about violence against transgender women in the early hours Saturday morning when a man and woman started shouting anti-transgender slurs at them. They were then accused of promoting prostitution based on the clothes they were wearing.
The alleged hate-filled woman then sprayed them with a substance believed to have been pepper spray.
?A transphobic man just pepper spray on my face in 82nd st Roosevelt Av, I’m at the Elmhurst hospital right now”
Transphobia is real
(Enough is enough)Me arden los ojos!!!! ????#TransphobiaKills pic.twitter.com/Q3YoCeQJZH
— Bianey Garcia ?? (@BianeyDlaO) June 29, 2019
Paola Custodio, 24, an Elmhurst resident, was arrested by police at the scene and charged with felony assault as a hate crime and aggravated harassment, according to authorities.
Custodio was arraigned Saturday in Queens Criminal Court and released without bail. She has a string of arrests, including a Feb. 24 burglary, according to a court records.
Make the Road New York and other advocacy groups joined Garcia and Uriero for a rally Monday to speak out about violence against trans women, particularly those from minority communities.
“As members of the trans community, we are not safe,”Uriero said. “We are in danger in the streets, you’re in danger just for being trans.”
Tiffany Caban, the likely winner of last week’s Democratic primary, was at the rally and spoke in support of the victims and the trans gender community. She said:
“We must stand up together against transphobia in Queens,” Caban said. She noted that despite Sunday’s diverse and positive Pride parade, “this attack is a reminder of how much work we still have to do.”
I was pepper sprayed yesterday for #WalkingWhileTrans in Queens. A hate violence against me won’t stop me to continue creating awareness and visibility for my TGNCIQ community. Hate violence against Trans Women of color is real. #HateInAmerica
Join us: https://t.co/MfPSrjbcob pic.twitter.com/0KQQKUHq2H— Bianey Garcia ?? (@BianeyDlaO) June 29, 2019
Queens district attorney Tiffany Cabán here to speak against transphobic acts of hate. #WalkingWhileTrans should never be met with violence pic.twitter.com/2wVnqrDHyd
— Make the Road NY ? (@MaketheRoadNY) July 1, 2019
