The Tower Archives

Year: 2012 Place: Brazil Sources: Globo - Ela pintou o cabelo de azul e foi expulsa do colégio. Isso pode? (13th of August, 2013) UOL - Adolescente diz ter sido impedida de assistir à aula após pintar cabelo de azul (16th of February, 2012) Terra - MG: aluna teria sido expulsa de escola por pintar cabelo de azul (16th of February, 2012) O Tempo - Estudante pinta o cabelo de azul e é expulsa do colégio (15th of February, 2012) Folha de São Paulo - Adolescente pinta cabelo de azul e é impedida de frequentar escola (17th of February, 2012) NOTE: The sources present some variation on the time-frame that Isabella was able to attend school with blue hair, which is mentioned in the text. Some other information, such as how long Isabella was given to consider her options seem to vary as well, which could be due to her being given two different time-frames in two different occasions. The situation was summarized below to the best of the author's ability, with the existing inform...

Year: 1997 Place: Texas, USA Sources: Bomb City Foundation Alterophobia, quoting The Ranger - Brian Deneke - Tenth Anniversary (8th of December, 2007) Textas Monthly - The Outsiders (November, 1999) People - How the Killing of a Punk Rocker by a Clean-Cut Jock Tore a Texas City Apart (15th of November, 2022) Dallas Observer, via Wayback Machine - Anarchy in Amarillo (21st of October, 1999) Amarillo Globe News, via Wayback Machine - Short life remembered (9th of December, 2007) Amarillo Globe News, via Wayback Machine - Victim's dad unsurprised by sentence (2nd of September, 1999) NOTE: As one can notice, this is quite a long post, as the case is very complex. While knowing more about Brian Deneke's early life could prove to be quite interesting, the post is already quite long as is, so a decision was made to not include that info. However, one can find it here . "Short" Summary: On December 12, 1997, Brian Deneke (19 years old at the time) was in...

Year: 2003 Place: England, UK Sources: The Northern Echo - Agony of teenager turned into human torch by gang (7th of August, 2003) BBC - Fears over teen group rivalries (7th of August, 2003) BBC - 'They watched me burn', says teenager (6th of August, 2003) Short Summary: Mark Burdis (17 years old at the time) was walking home with two friends after a night out. They came across a group of four or five youths, who were sitting around a fire. Mark and his friends talked to the group, asking for the time. When they turned around and started walking away, Mark was hit by a burning liquid and started catching fire. Mark explained that he started screaming and his friends, who were a short distance away, came running to him. He laid down on the ground and started rolling to try and put out the flames but was too weak to manage by himself, so one of his friends stepped in to help, and got burns as well. Mark ended up suffering serious burns to his face, neck, hands and ches...

Year: 2001 Place: Scotland, UK Sources: Alterophobia, citing The Mirror - The Tragic Suicide of Nicola Raphael - bullied to death for being a goth (16th of December, 2007) The Sunday Herald, via Wayback Machine - Suddenly they're everywhere. Their black clothes and purple lipstick (1st of July, 2001) Scotsman - ‘She came in one night and you would never know anything was wrong. Then she took an overdose’ (22nd of January, 2002) The Herald - Bullied pupil takes own life School taunts over Goth-style clothing leads to pills overdose (27th of June, 2001) Kirkintilloch Herald - ‘May God forgive these bullies... because I never will’ (17th of March, 2002) The Free Library - MUM SUES SUICIDE SCHOOL; Bullies left son scarred for life They drove my girl to kill herself I'll sue for sake of other victims. (2001) The Free Library - Grave is targeted (2002) Yorkshire Evening Post - Girl's frozen heart saves sick toddler (18th of October, 2004) Note: The information ...

Year: 2016 Place: Brazil Sources: G1 - Pai raspa cabeça da filha que tinha pintado o cabelo de verde no ES (video - 2016) Polémica Paraíba - Pai raspa cabelo de filha que fez mechas verdes (5th of January, 2016) DOL - Pai raspa cabelo de filha por causa de mechas (5th of January, 2016) Portal de Notícias PB - Pai raspa cabelo de filha que fez mechas verdes (8th of January, 2016) Short Summary: Uliana (12 years old at the time) dyed some streaks of her hair green, with a product that is easily washable and with her mother's approval (she wasn't at home during the whole situation). Her father (53 years old at the time) didn't like it, threatened to beat her up and ended up shaving her hair off. The father was lated detained, as the police found a cal.38 revolver at his home. Several people felt touched by the story, there was a fundraising made by a Facebook Page called Cabelos Coloridos da Depressão to buy a wig for Uliana but she ended up being donated one by a...

Year: 2007 Place: England, UK Source: Alterophobia, citing a comment left on a Burnley Citizen article - Some of Burnley attackers caught (Alterophobia, 24th of October, 2007) Short Summary: A man, who calls himself Ben (from Bacup), talks about an instance of alterophobia he went through. He talks about being on his way to a shop and having a group of around 20 people hurling abuse at him, including "batty boy". After coming out of the store, Ben passed by the group again, however this time, since he was walking the opposite way, the group could see the side of his head where he dyed his hair in a red/purple/pink shade. One of the members from the group yelled "You're next, fag!". He felt very uneasy, especially hearing about the (at the time recent, see previous post) attacks against members of alternative subcultures. Ben also mentions that this isn't the first time he had abuse yelled at him, and he was looking forward to move to a place where alt...

Year: 2007 Place: England, UK Source: Lancashire Telegraph - Goths attacked by terror gang (22nd October, 2007) Alterophobia - Attack on four goth/mosher teens in Burnley (21st of October, 2007) Short Summary: Three boys and a girl (15 years old at the time) were chased and attacked, with sticks and bottles, by a group of around 12 youngsters, due to their gothic style of dress. This happened in Burnley. The Police said the attacked could've been much more serious if they hadn't been saved by a passer-by. Two of the victims were taken to the hospital but got out the same day. They suffered mostly cuts and bruises but one of the boys had to have his arm put in a sling. The Police believed the attack was due to the group's appearence, with a Detective Inspector saying "I honestly believe these people had done nothing more than walk down the street minding their own business, and just because they look different to the general population of that area they have b...

Year: 2016 Place: Czech Republic Sources: Youtube - It's Black Friday's video: Bad Time at the Bone Church (seen below) Short Summary: Black Friday and her then-husband were denied entry to the Sedlec Ossuary in Prague, Czech Republic, due to their appearence. The reasons given by the staff is that the Ossuary is considered a Roman Catholic property, and they "looked like they might be evil and do some evil in there". Black Friday was also told that the decision to not let them in comes from the Catholic Church and not the ticket sellers. They were later allowed in after getting blessed but were not allowed to take any photographs (a prohibition only applied to them, because other people were allowed to take photographs at the time. In later research, one can see that photography was restricted in 2020 ) In the same video she also mentions being accosted by the police for no reason, as well as tourists taking their picture while at the Ossuary.

Year: 2017 Place: Texas, USA Sources: Associated Press - Texas district alters homecoming queen’s hair color in photo (19th of October, 2017) NBC - Texas District Alters Homecoming Queen's Hair Color in Photo (19th of October, 2017) Beaumont Entreprise - Texas school district on blast for editing photo of homecoming queen - twice (19th of October, 2017) News Cut - Purple hair at homecoming too hot for a school district (18th of October, 2017) Short Summary: Ebony Smith was crowned prom queen at her school, North Shore Senior High. Later on, the Galena Park Independent School District shared a picture of her online, where Ebony´s hair had been sloppily photoshopped to look brown instead of purple. The school district later apologized, blamed a "mistake" and posted a black and white picture of Ebony instead. The district´s students handbook doesn´t allow for colored hair, as it could be a "distraction in a learning environment" but Ebony had already a...

Year: 2014 Place: Canada Sources: Ottawa Citizen - 'They pretty much just called me a freak with horns': assault victim believes attack a hate crime (15th of November, 2014) Ottawa Citizen - Body-modification artist unable to work after Rideau Street attack, court hears (23rd of June, 2015) Ottawa Citizen - Ottawa man frightened after accused attackers acquitted, freed (5th of August, 2015) Short Summary: Calvin Nicol (31 years old at the time) was walking home from work when he was set upon by four men. He said "They pretty much just called me a freak with horns, and mentioned my eyes and how they were going to give me black eyes" . According to Nicol, he was also asked if he "thought he was tough" due to his appearence, and made to empty his pockets, even though nothing was stolen. He was cornered against a wall and punched, which made his head hitting the brick wall behind him. He saw someone pulling a knife out, attempted to run but was quick...

Year: 2012 Place: England, UK Sources: BBC - Hate crime: 'I was attacked for being a goth' (6th of April, 2013) Short Summary: Alexys Becerra (38 years old at the time) had been hosting a karaoke event, when she stepped aside to answer her phone. She was followed by a girl outside, who proceeded to ask her "who did she thought she was", before beginning the attack. Alexys was punched in the face, before the girl held her by her hair so other five girls (who had arrived in the meantime) could punch her in the face. Alexys made an escape attempt but was caught and stamped on. She was able to call the emergency services after being attacked for around 20 minutes. She suffered cracks in her skull, sprains and torn ligaments in one knee. Some of her hair was also ripped out. Together with her band, Inertia, Alexys released a music video, which uses CCTV footage of her attack (shown below).

Year: 2005 Place: England, UK Sources: The Free Library - Banned from shops...because she's a Goth (2005) Manchester Evening News - Barred - girl in black (1st of July, 2005) Short Summary: Melissa Fletcher (16 years old at the time) was meeting two friends in Manchester's city center, with the purpose of going shopping. But they weren't allowed into the Triangle shopping centre. According to her mother, Sharon (34 years old at the time), Melissa was allowed in the Triangle with her on the morning of that same day. However, she was rejected when coming back later with friends. Sharon explained that Melissa had money to spend. Not only that, but she also said that the security guard had later talked to her and admitted to being "under strict orders to not let them in because of the way they looked" . A spokesperson for the shopping centre said that "if it is believed the behaviour of some is likely to compromise the safety or enjoyment of others, the...

Year: 2010 Place: Brazil Sources: Diário do Grande ABC - Garoto 'emo' tem cabelo cortado à força pela mãe em SP (14th of April, 2010) Folha de Londrina - Mãe e avó cortam à força cabelo de menino emo (14th of April, 2010) Vírgula - Mãe desesperada corta franja de filho emo (16th of April, 2010) Short Summary: An Emo teen (14 years old at the time) was tied up and had his hair cut by his mother (Lucimar, 37 years old at the time) and maternal grandmother (Lúcia, 57 years old at the time). He arrived home with some fake colorful hair, which caused Lucimar and Lúcia to chase him by car through the city for around 1km, with a pair of scissors and a stick. He was later caught, tied up and had his hair (both the fake hair and some of his real hair too) cut by Lucimar. Lucimar, who is "desperate", affirmed that "he is going through a wrong path. If his life goes wrong, it isn't because I haven't done anything about it" . He was also taken to the ...

Year: 2016 Place: England, UK Sources: It's Black Friday's Youtube channel - Video: I Went to JAIL?! | Black Friday (shown below) Summary: Black Friday had flown from the USA to England and was turned away at the border. She believes she has been targeted due to her appearence. She sees the reasons for her entry denial as unjustified and explains that she wasn't allowed to provide any evidence, such as records of where she would be staying or even contact any other people. She talks about being locked in a room and interrogated, while her belongins were confiscated and inspected. She wasn't even allowed to have her medication with her. She was later given a papper, stating that she hadn't provide any evidence of self-suficiency or of where she would be staying for the duration of the visit. Black Friday also talks about how she felt she was being treated like a criminal, and even that the police thought at some point that she would commit suicide, because she ...