Summary
Two transgender women, Dahlia and Jess, were attacked at a Minneapolis rail station, with onlookers cheering their assailants instead of helping.
After confronting a man yelling transphobic slurs, the situation escalated into a violent assault involving four or five others, leaving both women unconscious.
Advocates attribute the rise in anti-trans violence to emboldened transphobia fueled by misinformation and political rhetoric, including Donald Trump’s anti-LGBTQ+ policies.
The local trans community is responding with solidarity rallies, self-defense classes, and firearm training to prepare for a potential increase in attacks.
Police are investigating, but no arrests have been made.
Everyone should carry pepper spray.
Pepper spray has limited range and can affect the person using it. I recommend to those unable or unwilling to carry a firearm to carry a high powered flashlight to blind assailants.
Bigger flashlights can be used as a club very easily, but i would recommend disengaging from the situation rather then standing and fighting. you should look for something small so you always have it on you.
I don’t know if the flashlight community is active here as it is on reddit (where I got the info to buy my flashight), but here it is: https://lemmy.world/c/flashlight