Transgender Woman Beaten in S.F.; Rally Tonight

What happened to diversity and pride in S.F.?

​A 20-year-old transgender woman was attacked outside the 16th Street BART station one recent Friday night in an incident prosecutors say was a hate crime.

The woman, who asked media outlets to call her Mia, says two men verbally harassed her as she walked on the 16th Street plaza.

One of the men grabbed her cellphone and then starting beating her, she told KTVU. A witness said that the men punched Mia in the face "very brutally and very violently."

After the beating, witnesses followed the two suspects and helped police identify and arrest them. Initially, the men were charged only with robbery and aggravated assault; the hate crime allegation was added after the District Attorney's Office conducted further investigation.

The two men are scheduled to appear in court next week.

Shocked by the beating, the LGBT community has planned a rally tonight at City Hall at 6 to draw attention to the incident.

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