Facebook ‘removes’ viral video of man hurling homophobic abuse at lesbian couple
Facebook has allegedly removed a viral video of a man caught on camera shouting homophobic abuse at a lesbian couple in Oregon, USA.
The horrific footage, which had been viewed more than 56,000 times, was posted by Trudy Dragoon and showed a man hurling expletives at her and her wife Wendy in south-east Portland.
According to Trudy, Facebook has taken down the video.
Speaking to PinkNews, Trudy said: “Facebook did not notify me, it was just taken down. The message I got said it was removed because their standards do not condone the language and content in the video.
“I will not tolerate hate speech towards anybody including myself and my wife. If I saw this happening to someone, I wouldn’t walk away. I would stand up for them.”
Trudy has since uploaded the video again on Facebook.
In her new post, she wrote: “Facebook took my video down. I did not remove it. I’m posting it again because this happened to me. Yes there are awful things hurled at me. Yes this is even hard for me to watch. This needs to be seen and shared. People like this need exposure.”
PinkNews has contacted Facebook for comment.
Trudy and Wendy Dragoon had been going door-to-door around the city – trying to find the owner of a dog they had found – when they were confronted by the young man.
In the video, an unnamed young man can be seen squaring up to Trudy, seemingly in an attempt to engage her in a fight.
“You look like a f***ing man, let’s go,” he says. “Act like a f***ing man, get hit like one, c**t. Gay pride ass b**ch.”
The nearly three-minute long video continues with the man walking right up to Trudy, saying: “Come on, come on, you’re a f***ing woman. I’d f***ing knock you on your fat ass, you fat cow.”
Trudy responds by saying: “You think that you scare me?” to which the man replies: “You think you scare me, you’re a f***ing woman.”
Watch the video below (WARNING: contains explicit language):
The incident took place on Southeast Duke and Southeast 63rd Avenue.
Trudy later tells the man: “You’re so scared right now, you’re shaking.”
However, the man responds: “”Oh I’m so scared of a f***ing lesbian, I’m so scared… I should be so embarrassed of a f***ing lesbian on my property? Look at you, you f***ing embarrass America.”
At one point the man sticks his middle finger up to the camera, which is being held by Trudy’s wife, Wendy.
The video ends when a police officer arrives.
Trudy has criticised the police officer over his response to the confrontation.
“The police officer wasn’t going to file a report. He never even got our names or the guys names,” she told PinkNews.
“I feel he was just going to think it was nothing and hope we would let this go. He was dismissive both times we had to talk with him.”
She said that the officer is now filing a report, but added: “The only reason he is now filing a report is because the video went viral. I confronted this guy. I was calm and collected.
“People like this kid think nothing will happen to them and they can keep intimidating people like us.”
When she first uploaded the video on Facebook, Trudy wrote: “So this just happened. After he sped up like he was going to hit is as we crossed the street. And then a ‘good guy cop’ rolled up and CLEARLY did not want to help us. Before he even got out of the car he was telling us to ignore him and just walk away.
“Then told us he couldn’t do anything. These little f***ers live around the corner. It will take them no time to figure out which house is ours so I guess we wait until we are physically assaulted before we can get help.”
Trudy (left) and Wendy Dragoon. (Trudy Dragoon/Facebook)
In a press release issued on Tuesday, Portland Police Bureau confirmed that a report will be filed, adding: “The Police Bureau is aware that speech, such as the speech present in this video, instills fear in members of our community.”
“Though the video does not necessarily convey everything that was occurring at the time of this incident, the officer who responded will include this video as part of his police report and it will be forwarded to the Multnomah County District Attorney’s Office for consideration.
“East Precinct officers have interviewed the people involved in this incident and the associated reports will also be forwarded to the District Attorney’s Office.”
However, the press release added: “It is important to note that situations such as these are complex legally.”
Elsewhere in the video, the young man can be heard telling Wendy: “You’re a cow. Go f***ing scissor each other,” before making a lewd gesture with his hands.
“Oh we will, it’s going to be great,” responds Wendy.
