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LGBT demand action over teen death
Michael Causer
LGBT youth organisation demands action following a fatal homophobic attack
"Pauline Ellis from Outrage! stressed the urgency for the gay community to pull together and avoid apathy"
Eighteen year-old Michael Causer from Liverpool suffered serious injuries following Friday’s attack and despite surgery died a day later.
Merseyside police said the attack was being treated as a homophobic hate crime and so far have arrested two men. Aged 18 and 19, the men have been charged with grievous bodily harm, while a third man has been charged with witness intimidation.
Queer Youth Network said that physical assault remains a deep concern for gay teens and emphasised the fact that the attacks are entirely preventable. David Henry from the organisation said:
"We must unite all communities concerned to beat the scourge of youth violence universally once and for all… It is vital that anti-homophobic bullying polices and initiatives which aim to prevent further tragic deaths re-evaluate how much of an impact they really have and how they can become more effective by updating their understanding of incredibly violent nature of Britain's youth culture.
Pauline Ellis from Outrage! stressed the urgency for the gay community to pull together and avoid apathy:
"It was going to happen sooner or later and I am stunned how the local media here in Liverpool have downplayed coverage of this story which I feel is due to the lack of a vocal LGBT community in Liverpool," she said.
"It's very easy for the increasingly comfortable and apathetic gay community to blame working class youths for this latest attack, but having partnership rights and a few extra equality laws is not an excuse to abandon the ongoing fight for gay liberation."
The post mortem by the Home Office is yet to confirm the cause of death, but once is it completed the police will confer with the Crown Prosecution Service regarding the future of the case and any further potential charges.
