One of Oklahoma's First Gay Politicians Is Attacked in Possible Hate Crime

Jim Roth, the first out LGBT person to hold a statewide office in Oklahoma, was assaulted by three men outside Grandad's Bar, a popular Oklahoma City honky-tonk, earlier this month, according to KFOR TV. Jesse Wells reports that while Roth and his supporters are insistent the attack was motivated by hate, it has not yet been classified as such.

Police told KFOR that Roth had been in a verbal altercation at Grandad's with a man who made some antigay comments. When the former politician walked outside of the bar he was attacked by three men.

"The victim was assaulted, he was not seriously hurt, but he was struck several times," said Oklahoma City police master sergeant Gary Knight, who says the case hasn't been classified as a hate crime yet. "It's definately an assault case. That's what we're working is an assault."

On the Facebook page for Grandad's, owner Greg Seal condemned the attack in a new post titled "Hate Is Not on the Tap at Grandad's." In it Seal writes, "If you have a problem with another type of person ... DO NOT COME HERE. We will not tolerate bigotry and hate. You don't have to love everyone who walks in the door like we do but you do have to tolerate them. Gay, straight, black, white, plumber, politician, whatever ... let's just all have a drink and be cool."