Provincetown Hate Crime Targets Gay Man

Provincetown Man Beaten in Alleged Hate Crime — Attackers Used Homophobic Slur, Say Police

By: Paul Goldberg, Senior Editor | JRL CHARTS – LGBT Politics • Hate Crime Report

PROVINCETOWN, MA — (July 5, 2025) — A gay man was the victim of an alleged hate crime in Provincetown early Monday morning after three men pulled up in a black Lexus, pushed him to the ground, and beat him while shouting a homophobic slur, according to police.

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The victim, Chris Kostka, told investigators he was walking near Bradford Street and Howland Street in the East End between 1:00 a.m. and 2:00 a.m. when the vehicle approached. He says three white men, believed to be in their 20s or 30s, exited the sedan and launched into a violent attack.

“They pushed me down and started kicking me,” said Kostka in a social media video posted hours later. “It lasted maybe 30 seconds before they got back in the car and took off.”

Kostka shared footage of his injuries online, including a visible cut under his left eye and bruising on his shoulder and chest, confirming the assault occurred as he was walking home from a friend’s house.

Despite the trauma, he insisted he was okay.

“Whenever anybody says being gay is a choice, like, yeah. I chose this,” he said sarcastically, pointing to his battered face.

Provincetown police say they are taking the report “very seriously,” urging residents near Howland Street to review doorbell or security camera footage from that time frame.

“All officers have been alerted,” the department said in a statement Tuesday. “We will continue working hard to stay vigilant and keep everyone safe.”

Kostka declined hospitalization after being evaluated by paramedics later that day, police confirmed.

Anyone with information is asked to contact Detective Sergeant Jennifer Nolette at (508) 487-1212 or [email protected]. Anonymous tips can be submitted to the department’s hotline at (508) 487-2828 or emailed to [email protected].

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