Frank Blasts NOM for Antigay Violence

Massachusetts congressman Barney Frank expressed anger after learning about an alleged assault at a rally for the National Organization for Marriage July 26.

Alice Hoenigman was among several counterprotesters at the Indiana statehouse. She said she approached the steps, where the NOM supporters were gathered, and was then punched in the stomach.

"People have a constitutional right to express themselves as they wish, and that right obviously applies even to people who for some reason have dedicated much of their lives to trying to diminish the lives of others," Frank said in a statement Wednesday. "I do not understand what it is that drives people to spend so much time trying to take away the rights of those of us who are gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgender, but they should understand that the freedom to do so in no way insulates them from those who disagree with their agenda from making their presence clear. For someone engaging in that right of peaceful counter-demonstration to be assaulted by a NOM attendee is wholly unacceptable and the leaders of this organization should be taking steps not simply to prevent any such behavior in the future, but to exclude from their ranks anyone who was engaged in it in the past."

Watch Hoenigman's description of the incident below.