New York man arrested for beating city councilman's neighbor during anti-LGBTQ protest at his home

On Wednesday, The Daily Beast reported that a man has been arrested for allegedly assaulting the neighbor of gay New York City Councilman Erik Bottcher during an anti-LGBTQ protest at his apartment building.

"In a statement to The Daily Beast, the New York Police Department confirmed that officers had arrested David Nieves, of Brooklyn, on Tuesday morning in connection with an assault on Bottcher’s 52-year-old neighbor," reported Tim Teeman. "Bottcher welcomed news of the arrest, telling The Daily Beast: 'Violence, intimidation and vandalism are never acceptable. A message needs to be sent to hate groups everywhere that this sort of behavior will not be tolerated.'"

"During the episode at Bottcher’s Chelsea building on Dec. 19 ... the sidewalk outside was defaced with hateful, homophobic slurs directed against Bottcher, including 'OK Groomer,' 'Child Predator,' and 'Erik Boccher (sic) Is a Pedo Child Groomer!'" said the report. "Bottcher, whose district encompasses Chelsea, Hell’s Kitchen, and Greenwich Village, posted a video allegedly showing one of his neighbors being physically assaulted by the extremists during the incident. A group of protesters also entered and reportedly vandalized his nearby office building."

The protests were organized by a group calling itself "Gays Against Groomers." According to reports shortly after the incident, two of the demonstrators, Erica Sanchez and D'Anna Morgan, who drew some of the sidewalk slurs, were arrested on trespassing charges the next day.

Per the report: "Bottcher told The Daily Beast last week that he had so far declined special protection measures, saying that Mayor Eric Adams and the NYPD 'are offering any and all support and protection that I need. I’ve declined having a car parked out front. But I know that is an option that is open to me if I need it. The mayor told me he and his entire administration are standing with me. The support from people generally has been overwhelming and absolutely heartening. It doesn’t surprise me because New Yorkers are very loving and supportive people, but it’s even more than I would have been expected.'"

Attacks on LGBTQ people have surged amid a Republican-led moral panic about gay and transgender people being around children or teaching children. Child-friendly drag queen events have been picketed and threatened, and Republicans have pushed legislation around the country limiting the ability of educators to even be openly gay or transgender in schools.