New York City Police Arrest Tenth Suspect In Anti-Gay Attacks, Human Rights Campaign President Joe Solmonese Delivers Petition Demanding Mormon Bigot Boyd K. Packer Retract Anti-Gay Remarks, Knoxville Tennessee Gay Club Fire Ruled Arson, Hillary Clinton Praises Serbian Efforts To Protect Gay Pride Parade Participants

NY1 is now reporting that police have arrested a tenth suspect in connection to a horrific anti-gay attack on two teen boys and two adult males October 3rd, in an abandoned house in New York City. 22 year old Jose Dominguez is charged with aggravated harassment, assault, and unlawful confinement, all as hate crimes. Nine other suspects are in custody, and are expected to appear in court Thursday.

The Salt Lake Tribune reports that Human Rights Campaign President Joe Solmonese delivered a petition Tuesday with 150,000 signatures to the LDS Church Office Building in Salt Lake City, the Utah Pride Center, Equality Utah, and Affirmation, the support group for gay Mormons also in attendance, also offering their support for the HRC who wants Mormon apostle Boyd K. Packer to recant statements made during a sermon suggesting that homosexuality is immoral and unnatural and that gay Mormons struggling with same sex attraction can and must overcome their feeling by the power of prayer. Solmonese said “We’re here today to tell Elder Packer and those in the Mormon Church hierarchy who agree with him that his statements are both factually and scientifically wrong, and that, more importantly, they are dangerous and putting millions of lives in great danger.” Meanwhile, a Facebook page in support of Packer and his reckless statements has grown from 4,000 yesterday to 17,000 today. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is expected to release a statement late Tuesday addressing the HRC petition.

The Knoxville Sentinel reports the Knoxville fire marshals are no longer treating a fire at an area gay club as suspicious, instead Fire Department Assistant Chief Danny Beeler announced Monday that investigators “have determined it was a set fire,” although he added “We have no indication about the motive.” The fire began early Sunday morning on the wood deck at the back of Club XYZ, burning the overhead awning and melting ceiling fans. There was no damage to the club, which remains open.

United States Secretary of State Hillary Clinton in Serbia praised efforts by the police to protect participants in a gay pride parade held Sunday, the Associated Press reporting that Clinton told Serbian President Boris Tadic “I especially want to commend the bravery of the police who provided security for the event at last Sunday’s Pride Parade. It was not easy, and yet we watched as the official law enforcement forces demonstrated unequivocally your support for the rights of all.” Tadic told reporters “my personal attitude and my political attitude is that by protecting the rights of every single individual ... only then can we defend the foundations of democracy, only then can we have a free society and a prosperous society.”