Sarah Loy, 27, went to a rally organized by VoteOnMarriage in front of Worcester City Hall, west of Boston, on the weekend. The demonstration was one of several behind held on weekends throughout Massachusetts aimed at pressuring the Legislature to vote on the proposed amendment.

At a lectern Larry Cirignano, leader of the Boston-based Catholic Citizenship group had just finished leading the Pledge of Allegiance when he spotted Loy near the front of the crowd with other supporters of gay marriage staging a counter protest.

Loy was carrying a sign reading "No discrimination in the Constitution". Other members of her group were yelling “You lost, go home, get over it," at the crowd.

The Worcester Telegram & Gazette reports that Cirignano rushed from behind the lectern and tackled Loy to the ground. "You need to get out. You need to get out of here right now," he allegedly told her as her head was pushed into the concrete sidewalk.

As Loy lay bruised and bloodied on the sidewalk Cirignano reportedly returned to lectern, joining other leaders of the protest in condemning same-sex marriage and demanding the proposed amendment be put on the ballot.

Other members of her group helped Loy from the scene. Loy who is straight and a supporter of same-sex marriage, had gone to the protest with her husband David.

Police have interviewed Loy and others on the both sides of the marriage issue and charges may be laid.

Gay activist Tom Lang said this rally seemed to have a different component from others the groups held in previous weeks. "The Catholic Citizenship/VoteOnMarriage supporters seemed to be angry and aggressive," he said.

Lang operates KnowThyNeighbor.org which has listed the names of the 170,000 people who signed petitions in support of the proposed amendment.

Most of the speeches attacked lawmakers who voted to recess a joint session of the House and Senate to consider the amendment.

"Catholic Citizenship volunteers then handed out 'Wanted Posters' to onlookers which were printed out with Legislator's photos and home phone on them," said Lang.

Last weekend people who attended a VoteOnMarriage rally in Springfield were told they could not gather in front of city hall because they did not have a license. An LGBT civil rights organization had applied for a license and was granted one.

VoteOnMarriage was forced to hold its protest across the street while MassEquality staged its pro same-sex marriage demonstration at city hall.

Last month lawmakers refused to vote on the proposed amendment. The Legislature meeting in a special joint session called a Constitutional Convention recessed until January 2, without taking a vote.

January 2 is the final day in the current session and it is expected no vote will be held, effectively killing the measure.

Gov. Mitt Romney has asked the state's highest court for an order placing a proposed amendment that would ban same-sex marriage on the ballot without the approval of the legislature.

The case will be heard by the full Supreme Judicial Court on Wednesday.
Unless Romney is able to convince the court to force the legislature to act the proposed amendment is likely dead.

Meanwhile, VoteOnMarriage, made up of the Roman Catholic and evangelical church groups, has filed a federal lawsuit accusing the lawmakers of violating their constitutional duty when they voted to recess the Constitutional Convention.

via 365gay.com

Labels: Catholic, crimes, Massachusetts, violent

This entry was posted on Monday, December 18, 2006 at 11:56 AM. Want to discuss? Leave a comment below.