Actor Jussie Smollett, best known for playing Jamal Lyon on “Empire,” was hospitalized in Chicago Jan. 29 following an assault that the Chicago Police Department is treating as a “possible hate crime.”
According to a statement released by the Chicago police department, the actor, who is openly gay, was walking when “two unknown offenders approached him and gained his attention by yelling out racial and homophobic slurs toward him.” The offenders attacked Smollett then poured an unknown chemical substance on the victim.
At one point one of the offenders “wrapped a rope around the victim’s neck.” The actor, whose father is Jewish and mother is African American, took himself to the Northwestern Hospital and is in good conditions according to the statement. Area Central Detectives are investigating.
Many went online to send support to the actor including Empire creator Lee Daniels, African-American Rights Group theGrio.com, the Anti-Defamation League and Jewish progressive group Zioness, among others.
#Empire creator Lee Daniels is sending his love to Jussie Smollett after news broke that he was victim of a hate crime. https://t.co/C8we3AWgn7 pic.twitter.com/Q8NjO0k5Hy
— E! News (@enews) January 29, 2019
We can't overlook the fact that Jussie Smollett's attack was not only homophobic but racist as well.
This is a PRIME example of the terrifying danger of MAGA thinking.
Read @iamGMJohnson's op-ed on the matter: https://t.co/te209tzVQY
— theGrio.com (@theGrio) January 29, 2019
We wish Jussie Smollett a refuah shlema.
Chicago PD reported that the attackers were yelling out racist and homophobic slurs. TMZ said the attackers yelled “This is MAGA country!” https://t.co/vWJ1HdafjD
— Zioness (@ZionessMovement) January 29, 2019
“This reported attack on Jussie is a disturbing reminder of the terrible homophobia and racism that plagues our society,” Anti-Defamation League CEO Jonathan Greenblatt said in a statement. “We call on police to investigate this vile incident as a hate crime and work swiftly to bring the alleged perpetrators to justice.”
Police are asking that anyone that has information regarding the attack contact the detectives at 312-747-8382 or report anonymously to www.cpdip.com.
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