The phones have been ringing at the Pride Center of Western New York.
"A lot of concern about what is happening in the community," said Jorien Brock of the Pride Center.
This after what police say happened on New Years Eve.
"We had a bunch of individuals who targeted a man they believed to be gay. They went after him for that reason and that reason only," said Cheektowaga Police Captian James Spyer.
Police say it began inside the Walden Galleria, that a group of people who may have been in a local gang followed the victim through the mall, threatened him, and followed him outside to the parking lot. Police say two female attackers hit him with pepper spray, punched and kicked him, stole a bag with a thousand dollars of property in it, and left a note on his car with slurs about being gay. Security got a call about a fight and alerted cheektowaga police. They quickly found 18 year old Joy Darden and 19 year old Deonna Burnett. They face hate crime charges, as well grand larceny and criminal harrassment
"If you come into the Town of Cheektowaga we are going to make sure you treat everybody with respect, and if you don't, you will be arrested," added Spyer.
A message that is well received at the Pride Center, where they say they have gotten calls about other incidents too.
"Whether it is based on race, class, gender, sexual orientation, it has to be clear that hate is not okay, and violence is not okay," added Brock.
The victim is 20 years old, and did not suffer serious injuries.
