“No one deserves to be struck, particularly someone who can barely stand up. “Eric was one of the kindest people I knew,” Shakir said. Shakir was friends with Pope, so this loss was personal to him. Safety involves compassion and care, not brute force, particularly in a space that knows patrons are impaired.” “When security is causing this level of pain and violence, it should be clear there’s an issue and there’s been an issue for a long time.
“We clearly need a change in how we look at ‘security’ for our community,” said Sultan Shakir, president and executive officer of Mazzoni Center.
PGN spoke with leaders in the Philly LGBTQ+ community about their thoughts on Pope’s death as well as potential solutions for making LGBTQ-friendly bars safer. Pope, 41, passed away from his injuries on April 23 at Jefferson University Hospital, a week after the incident. In mid April, when Pope allegedly became intoxicated and was escorted outside, where he did not appear to be endangering anyone, surveillance footage shows that the bouncer working outside the establishment punched him hard enough that he hit the pavement and fell unconscious. Eric Pope went to Tabu Nightclub for the same reason anyone typically goes to a bar – to drink and have a good time.
