Another Attack in Patchogue, New York

August 19th, 2009

Nine months after the brutal murder of Marcelo Lucero in Patchogue, New York, (which we chronicled here, here, and here) another attack is being reported from that same Long Island city.  The victim of last Friday's attack said that he was attacked on Division Avenue in Patchogue by three young White men who hit him, knocked him to the ground, and robbed him while making bigoted slurs. 

Sadly, the nature of the attack bears striking similarities to the hate crime committed against Marcelo Lucero, who was attacked and killed in November of 2008 by several White teenagers while walking near the train station.

The Lucero incident led to a U.S. Department of Justice investigation on hate crimes in Long Island.  Authorities now say that the Lucero killing was a part of an anti-Latino crime spree that spans more than one year.

Hate crimes on Long Island did not start or end with the death of Marcelo Lucero.  Two weeks after the fatal stabbing of Lucero, a group of youth attacked two Latinos in Patchogue.  On the Fourth of July in 2003, an immigrant family who lived 15 miles from Patchogue was victimized by teenagers who lit their home on fire by throwing fireworks through their window.  In 2000, two immigrant laborers were beaten with shovels and landscaping tools by men who had promised them work. 

Patchogue harbors a culture of intolerance, hate, and fear that spans a decade and has been fueled in part by politicians and talking heads who refuse to acknowledge that hate-filled rhetoric demonizes immigrants and promotes violence against our community. 

Hopefully these officials will get the message before another violent tragedy occurs.