Ceremony to mark 1989 fatal gay-bashing
Last Updated: Wednesday, August 19, 2009 | 10:20 AM ET
The Canadian Press
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A unique ceremony will he held in Ottawa to honour the memory of a man who was murdered on Aug. 21, 1989, because his attackers thought he was gay.
Alain Brosseau — a 33-year-old man on his way home from a late shift at the Chateau Laurier Hotel — was attacked by a group of men and dropped from the Alexandra Bridge. He was not, in fact, gay.
On Friday, Ottawa police will join the gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender community to honour Brosseau.
Ottawa Police Chief Vern White and his Gatineau counterpart Mario Harel will march along the Alexandra Bridge and meet in the middle for a symbolic exchange.
Both chiefs and members of the GLBT community will then span the bridge at dusk holding lights to signal that gay-bashing will not go unreported or unnoticed.
Those wishing to participate are reminded to bring a cellphone or a flashlight to "light the bridge."
Four men were convicted in Brosseau's death.
Corrections and Clarifications
- An earlier version of this story said Alain Brosseau was gay. In fact, he was not gay, but his attackers believed he was. Aug. 19, 2009 | 12:30 p.m. ET
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