Feisty Aphrodite Archives
Gay Marriage Foe ‘Not Guilty’ In Assault Case
The following article was published by 365gaydotcom:
The former leader of a Catholic group advocating a constitutional ban on gay marriage in Massachusetts has been found not guilty of assault and civil rights violations stemming from a demonstration last December.
Larry Cirignano, 50, who at the time was the head of Catholic Citizenship, was alleged to have attacked a woman taking part in a counter demonstration at an anti-gay rally in front of Worcester City Hall last December 16.
Sarah Loy, 27, was part of a group who stood near the front of the rally where Cirignano was speaking.
Loy was carrying a sign reading “No discrimination in the Constitution”.
Cirignano reportedly had just finished leading the Pledge of Allegiance when he spotted Loy and her sign.
Police allege that he left the podium and tackled Loy to the ground. “You need to get out. You need to get out of here right now,” he reportedly told her as her head was pushed into the concrete sidewalk.
Several other witnesses, including a reporter for the Worcester Telegram, corroborated Loy's account.
But a woman who was not connected to either demonstration and just happened to be at city hall that day with her daughter testified that Loy tripped over her daughter's shoe. Read the entire story here.
