COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) Columbus Police are investigating after an LGBTQ+ bar in the Old North neighborhood said they were victims of a hate crime, leaving them on high alert.
Cora Helton, the owner of Bossy Grrls Pin Up Joint, said the alleged incident happened Wednesday. She claims a man came inside the bar yelling homophobic slurs, broke the glass door and assaulted a bartender.
Helton said the night of the alleged incident they were hosting a drag and burlesque show. Helton said in the middle of the show, the man got on their stage and began saying hateful comments.
“Then he started throwing around some homophobic slurs and saying some other concerning things and was asked to leave, refused to leave. At this point, it was clear that he was going to be a danger," Helton said.
She said her staff tried to deescalate the situation and it only got worse. She said this is when one of her bartenders took the man outside.
Helton claims the man then punched the bartender, who is a transgender woman. Helton said the bartender had to get stitches in her lip, but she did defend herself.
She said after this the man walked away and sat against the wall down the street. Helton said they thought it was over, but he later came back to the bar.
“Then about 15 or 20 minutes later, he comes back and one of the bartenders thinks, 'OK, we'll just close the door and lock it so he can't come in,'" Helton said. "He tried to pull the door out of her hands but couldn't do it. She locked the door and he proceeded to headbutt it and kick it until the glass broke and he tried to enter while screaming homophobic slurs.”
She said after that another one of her bartenders decided to reprimand the man to get him to stop. Helton said she has thought about something like this happening at the bar but never really thought it would happen.
“It's scary, obviously, but our community kind of expects it. As sad as that is, part of the reason things didn't go worse than they already did on Wednesday was because we have an active shooter plan in place and our staff knows that, our producers know that, all of our performers know that,” Helton said.
Helton said she is very thankful that they had an emergency plan in place, adding this proves why they have one. Helton said the bar is still open and they won’t let hate close them down.
She said their focus now is caring for those affected by the incident. They are collecting donations for the injured bartender so she can take time to heal.
“Maybe he didn't choose our venue because we are a queer space. Maybe he would have gone into any other venue and been bigoted there, but he was here and he said these things to us. So it's really important to me that it's not just assault, it's a hate crime," Helton said.
Helton said she hopes this incident brings attention to the needs in the Old North neighborhood. She said it was one of the first entertainment districts in Columbus and said now it is a very underserved area.
“It's between two major places, OSU and Clintonville, and it's wildly underserved by the City of Columbus. Our unhoused population is especially underserved. They are not getting the services that they desperately need. The citizens that live around here are not getting the services that they desperately need," Helton said. "This area is not being cared for and concerned about in the way other neighborhoods in the city are and I would really like Columbus to take this area more seriously."
Helton said she is thankful for the support from the LGBTQ+ community in Columbus. Columbus Police are investigating this incident. They have not made any arrests at this time.
