Hudson Pride Connections Center Chairman Jonathan Lucas provided an update regarding the potential hate crime that occurred at their Jersey City headquarters yesterday morning.
“I think part of what made it really unusual is the way it was done: it wasn’t like a brick was thrown in, it wasn’t apparent that it was a burglary – that someone had actually come into the center,” HPCC Chairman Jonathan Lucas explained to Hudson County View.
“But it was apparent that someone had it in or wanted to do some damage to the property. We’re not sure whether they got scared off or what have you but it was very disheartening to see the damage.”
According to Jersey City police, a front window at 32 Jones St., the HPCC headquarters,had been smashed around 10:42 a.m. yesterday.
Local authorities are investigating the situation as a bias crime and the New Jersey State Police and Hudson County Prosecutor’s Office have been contacted on the matter, the police report says.
Lucas later stated that he had additional concerns about the incident, given that the Garden State Equality office in Asbury Park was vandalized earlier this month (h/t InsiderNJ).
“The other part of it is just the language we use when we’re talking about it: we tend to focus on ‘a door was kicked in’ or ‘a door was broken,’ or ‘a window was broken’ and that just sort of puts the emphasis on these things, as opposed to the organization and the community,” Lucas continued.
“I look at this now as our home was vandalized, and the same thing with Garden State Equality, it wasn’t a door that was kicked in, it was Garden State Equality that was actually attacked and that’s how I sort of feel about Hudson Pride as well.”
Lucas concluded by stating that he was “on the verge of tears” when he first heard about the act of vandalism, he vowed to keep moving the organization forward – thanking everyone for their continued support.
