Kevin Aviance - recovering from a vicious gay bashing a week ago - has made a surprise appearance at a West Village demonstration protesting the rise in violence against members of New York City's LGBT community.

In the past year there have been 23 violent homophobic crimes reported in NYC - up from 18 reported a year earlier. But LGBT community leaders say they believe the number is far higher because many gays fear being outed if they report attacks.

Hundreds of people showed up at the rally and march on Saturday.

Aviance's jaw is still wired, the result of a broken jaw he suffered when he was attacked by a four young men as he left the Phoenix bar. His leg is still in a brace and he continues to suffer a considerable amount of pain.

"You can't keep a good queen down," Aviance told the crowd. But he warned against meeting violence with violence.

"We can't fight any of these people with arms and bullets and drama. We have to fight all these people with love, every single day," he said.

"Stop the violence. Stop the hate. Just love, love, love."

The protestors marched from 14th Street and 1st Avenue in the East Village - the scene of the attack on Aviance - across Manhattan to Christopher Park.

Four suspects have been arrested in the Aviance attack.

Akino George, 20, of the Bronx; Jarell Sears, 20, of Newark, N.J.; and Gregory Archie, 18, and Gerard Johnson, 16, both of Manhattan are charged with first-degree gang assault and first-degree assault as a hate crime in the attack on the 38 year old drag performer.

A felony complaint filed by prosecutors says the men followed Aviance along First Avenue, calling him derogatory names. It says they threw two garbage bags and a paint can at the singer before surrounding and attacking him. (story

The defendants repeatedly punched and kicked Aviance in the face and body, the complaint says, causing a broken jaw, bruised knee and other injuries.

Aviance's song ''Alive'' hit the top of the chart in 2002. Other popular songs by the singer have included ''Give It Up,'' released in 2004, and ''Din Da Da,'' which topped the Billboard dance chart in 1997.

via 365gay.com

-GS

This entry was posted on Sunday, June 18, 2006 at 11:38 PM. Want to discuss? Leave a comment below.