Wanted bulletin issued for suspect in homophobic attack

The Guyana Police Force has issued a wanted bulletin for 29-year-old Maverick De Abreu in connection with the attack of gay rights activist Joel Simpson.

Police said anyone with information is asked to contact the nearest police station. The suspect’s last known address is lot 56 Broad Street, Charlestown.

Simpson, the Managing Director of the Society Against Sexual Orientation Discrimination (SASOD), is recovering from injuries to his abdomen and arms after he was attacked and beaten by six men at around 04:00 hrs on Sunday.

He told Police that prior to the attack, he and his friends were bullied by the same men at a night club on Main Street, Georgetown where the men threw beers at them.

When a complaint was made to the supervisor at the location, the response was that the club didn’t want men “wining” on each other.

Simpson left and hours later, he was buying food at Bourda Market when the men attacked him.

Simpson said a City Constable attempted to intervene but the perpetrators slapped him [city constable]. The constable has also given the Police a statement of what transpired.

Simpson told the News Room that in his 16 years at SASOD, he has never experienced a homophobic attack of this nature.