Police in York, Pennsylvania have arrested a suspect after a local drag artist and their friends were assaulted by a mob of people outside a bar two weeks ago. Devin Harbaugh has been charged with aggravated assault and strangulation in the attack of Sible Sible Stackhouse, known to their friends as Vayne, York City Police announced Sunday. Stackhouse was beaten and choked while they and their two companions were leaving Gift Horse Brewing Company on Aug. 22, according post on Facebook by their friend, Brady Pappas.Pappas alleged that a group of five people accosted them inside the bar before following them outside while "screaming at us and calling us f*ggots." Pappas recalled the group telling them, If you wanna dress like women act like women" and Leave f*ggots! Get out of here!"After exchanging yells from down the street, the group, led by one of the men began running after us and attacked Vayne," Pappas wrote. "Vayne was in no way being physically aggressive and said multiple times that they did not want to fight.Pappas said that the man "threw Vayne to the ground and choked them to the point that they turned purple, passed out, and began seizing after coming back to consciousness about 5 seconds later." The assault didn't stop until an employee from Gift Horse "got the man off of Vayne and held him down until the police arrived.""I truly did not know what was going to happen to my sister as I was sobbing, trying to pull them off of Vayne, begging for them to stop," Pappas said. When law enforcement arrived, Pappas said that "I heard [the group] lie several times to bystanders and the police," and that they "used 'because theyre gay' as an excuse." Officers ended up charging both Stackhouse and the man with disorderly conduct, despite Pappas maintaining, "This was hate. Vayne never laid a hand on the guy until they had to defend themself."The group's story was supported by Gift Horse, which posted an official statement on its Facebook page confirming that an employee stepped in to stop the assailants, who it said had "followed, harassed and violently attacked 3 people solely because they (the disgusting individuals) viewed the 3 as different and not confirming to the 'norm'." Gift Horse also said that the staff members would be working with police for the investigation going forward.In announcing Harbaugh's arrest, police commissioner Michael Muldrow issued an apology to Stackhouse, Pappas, and their friend for the hate they endured. However, Muldrow did not address the officers wrongfully charging Stackhouse with a misdemeanor, nor what will be done to prevent violent attacks against LGBTQ+ people from getting dismissed in the future.Human Relations Commission executive director Clare Twomey also clarified that the case is not being prosecuted as a hate crime, as the state does not have a classification for hate crimes against LGBTQ+ people. Pennsylvania's Ethnic Intimidation Law only designates a hate crime as one committed due to bias against another persons race, color, religion, or national origin not sexual orientation or gender identity. "There is no doubt that everyone involved in the investigation of this atrocity that traumatized those beautiful souls attempting to enjoy an evening out, which also directly affected the LGBTQIA+ community at large, sees this for what it is: an unadulterated hate crime," Twomey said. "However, the Commonwealth does not recognize this to be the case. While number of PA jurisdictions have passed anti-discrimination laws and protections for an inclusive number of underrepresented groups for those municipalities, the PA Legislature has not and continues to lag pathetically behind in providing these protections.""The climate of hate, promoted by bias, prejudice and discrimination, harms us all," she continued. "The emotional and physical traumatic toll is takes on targeted victims also affects those perpetrators who carry such hate. This is not a society conducive to unity, acceptance and the ability to thrive. The focus instead, remains on division and a false sense of differences. We have to do better Pennsylvania."