The annual “Take Back The Night” anti-hate rally on the campus of California State Long Beach had extra enthusiasm after the recent attack of a transgendered graduate student two weeks ago. That student spoke before the rally, as did Los Angeles City Councilmember Janice Hahn. Check out the video below.
The graduate student, Colle Carpenter, once again defended the university and campus police after some criticized their decision to investigate the matter internally for more than one week before alerting students that an attack had occurred. Some in the crowd said that they understood Carpenter’s right to privacy, but still felt that the greater student body should have been notified.
The large crowd of protestors marched through the campus and student dormitories chanting and holding signs calling for a return to safe streets and an end to hate crimes and sexual violence.