BayWindows.com – Ethan Jacobs
More than 100 people turned out for a vigil June 7 at St. Anne?s Episcopal Church in Lowell to show unity in response to a violent attack on a transwoman June 1 that left the victim, Janine Nickola, with cuts on her arms and legs and part of her lip hanging from her face. The Middlesex District Attorney?s office has charged the three alleged assailants with a hate crime, and the speakers at the vigil, including Lowell Mayor William Martin, Jr., City Councilor and congressional candidate Eileen Donoghue and state Sen. Steven Panagiotakos, all sounded the same message that Lowell would not tolerate hate crimes. Nickola, who attended the vigil but did not speak, said she was heartened by the turnout and the response from the community.
?I?m beside myself. I?m so glad all these people came out to support victims. I?m not even looking at this as for me. This is for people [who are victims of hate crimes] who could not come forward,? said Nickola.