(Chicago, Illinois) Chicago police are searching for vandals who set fire to an LGBT book collection in a Chicago library.

About 100 volumes were destroyed in the blaze at the Chicago Public Library branch in the heavily gay East Lakeview neighborhood.

The fire came just over ten days before Chicago holds its LGBT pride parade and a week after the Senate rejected a proposed constitutional amendment to bar same-sex marriage. As well, this summer Chicago will host the Gay Games.

"We are disgusted by this book burning but we are not surprised by it," said Rick Garcia, public policy director of Equality Illinois.

"When the president of the United States uses his office to attack gay Americans and our families and when anti-gay extremists continue to spread hate toward gay and lesbian people is it any wonder that there are attacks on us, our institutions or on books about us?"

About 10 books in the African American literature section were also destroyed.

WBBM radio reported that the fire was set by someone using a cigarette lighter.

Police are investigating but say at this point they are not calling the fire a hate crime.

"This was not only an attack on the gay community but an attack on every decent, fair-minded Chicagoan," said Garcia.

"Anti-gay activists trade on lies about gay people and our families. Books and information are the first things they want to target."

(New York City) Openly gay singer Kevin Aviance was listed in stable condition Sunday at New York's Beth Israel Hospital following what police are calling a vicious homophobic attack Saturday in the East Village.

Four men were later arrested on charges of assault as a hate crime. At least two others remain at large.

Aviance, 38, whose songs have topped the Billboard dance chart, was attacked as he walked home from the Phoenix where he had met friends for a drink.

Police said that the attackers yelled anti-gay slurs as they beat him. 

Aviance managed to walk the short distance to hospital.  He underwent surgery for a broken jaw on Saturday. His his publicist, Len Evans, said that Aviance's jaw is wired shut and he will not be able to perform in the upcoming gay-pride parade.

Evans said that while Aviance was being attacked people just passed by ignoring the bashing. Aviance performs in drag but Evans said he was ''dressed like a boy'' when he was attacked.

Aviance's song ''Alive'' hit the top of the chart in 2002. Other popular songs by the singer have included ''Give It Up,'' released in 2004, and ''Din Da Da,'' which topped the Billboard dance chart in 1997.

Police identified the four men arrested as Jarell Sears and Akino George, both 20; Gregory Archie, 18; and Gerard Johnson, 16.