Assault Victims Won't Back Down

Two men who were victims of a possible hate crime in Staten Island, N.Y., are committed to using their experience as a discussion starter for hate crimes against LGBT people.

Luis and Richard Vieira were assaulted at a White Castle in their neighborhood last week, around 2:30 a.m., according to Staten Island Advance. The NYPD is investigating if the attack should be ruled a hate crime.

The Vieiras attended a community meeting at the Staten Island LGBT Center on Tuesday that was initiated because of their attack. Although bruised and angry, the couple were eager to start a dialogue about hate crimes.

"[Do] you honestly think you can intimidate me or my partner to not put our face out there and let it be known what is going on in the community?" asked Luis, in the article.

Many people who attended the event blamed slow law enforcement action for the hate crimes in the area.