FACE-SLASHING A HATE CRIME

Gay man targeted because of his sexual orientation, say police

Feb. 24, 01:09 EDT

PAUL LEGALL
The Hamilton Spectator

Police say the attack on a gay man whose face was slashed with a beer glass is the worst hate crime they can remember.

The assault on Ronn Mattai, 38, owner of the popular downtown Junction Cafe, has sent a chill through the city's gay community and angered and shocked the downtown business community.

Hamilton Deputy police Chief Ken Leendertse said police are treating the unprovoked attack as a "hate-biased crime" because Mattai was targeted because of his sexual orientation.

Leendertse said comments were made during the attack and at the hospital later that make police conclude the incident was motivated by the fact the victim is gay.

Mattai was attacked at the Absinthe bar on King Street East early Saturday by a stranger who cut his face with a beer glass. The restaurateur needed more than 200 stitches to close the wounds.

Hamilton Mayor Larry Di Ianni, who knows the victim and frequents his restaurant, said steps have to be taken to make sure this type of thing doesn't happen again.

"I spoke to him on the telephone. He was in pain but appreciative of the call," said Di Ianni, who called after learning about the attack from the newspaper.

"It angers me and it needs the full extent of the law to make sure this doesn't happen again."

Di Ianni said Mattai should be treated as a "hero"for establishing a popular eatery and enhancing the city's entertainment district around the Dofasco Centre for the Arts at King William and Ferguson streets.

Police said Mattai was making the rounds with his friends when they ended up at the Absinthe club at about 2:30 a.m. Saturday. As he was walking out of a washroom in the basement, somebody approached him and lured him into a closet by saying he needed help to lift something.

Police said once inside, the assailant slashed Mattai's face with a broken glass in a frenzied five-second blitz. The attacker fled in a sports utility vehicle that was waiting near the club. A passenger in the vehicle was arrested shortly after and charged with aggravated assault.

He was treated at St. Joseph's hospital for a cut to his right palm.

Leendertse said the attack appears to be premeditated. Under the Criminal Code, the judge has the power to increase the penalty if the offence was motivated by hate.

Damien Dommer, owner of The Werx, a gay bar on Hughson Street North, said Mattai popped by sometime before 2 a.m. Saturday.

Dommer said he keeps a watchful eye on all the patrons, most of whom he recognizes by face. He said nothing unusual happened that evening.

"I would have been aware if something had happened here with anybody," he said last night at The Werx.

Asked about other incidents, Leendertse said: "We do get the odd hate-biased crime, usually a punch-up, but nothing so unprovoked and vicious."

The deputy chief said investigators are taking the attack seriously.

"We've made this a priority case. Detectives will be attending the bail hearing to make sure the justice of the peace and the Crown understand the full impact of this and all the related issues are brought forward."

Mattai was released from hospital Saturday and is staying with relatives at an undisclosed location. His business partner, Judith Padunsky, said he was extremely traumatized and will require months of counselling as well as plastic surgery.

She said the restaurant, serving lunch as usual yesterday, was inundated with telephone calls from persons concerned about his welfare.

Padunsky said Mattai told her he didn't know the attacker and has no idea why he was singled out.

Rodney Deeprose, vice-president of the board of directors of the Hamilton AIDS network, said Mattai is a "great fellow" who had taken on the network as his main charity. He has made his restaurant available for functions and catered their events.

"I'm incredibly disappointed this is still happening and has happened to somebody so well-known and so well-liked as Ronn. There will be a chill across the city because he was so well known," he said.

Roy Cain, a professor in the school of social work at McMaster University, described the attack as an "extreme form of homophobia" that underlines the threat of violence members of the gay community live with every day.

He added it's also a reminder that "gay bashing hasn't disappeared," despite more relaxed social policies and cultural attitudes towards gays.

Michael Cordeiro, 19, charged with aggravated assault, made a brief appearance at the John Sopinka courthouse yesterday and will return Friday for a bail hearing.

plegall@thespec.com
905-526-3385