Hate crime: Hundreds protest against attacks on Birmingham’s LGBTQ+ community

LGBTQ+ leaders say their community does not feel safe in the city at protests in the Gay Village
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Hundreds of protesters gathered in Birmignham’s Gay Quarter to demonstrate against violence towards their community.

There has been a series of vicious attacks against members of the community in recent months.

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Last Sunday John-Paul Kessler was wounded after being attacked with a wine bottle for holding hands with another man on Holiday Circus.

Another man needed emergency surgery after he was punched in the face. It’s left members of Birmingham’s LGBT community feeling unsafe in their own city.

Saima Razzaq, Birmingham Pride, Head of Diversity & InclusionSaima Razzaq, Birmingham Pride, Head of Diversity & Inclusion
Saima Razzaq, Birmingham Pride, Head of Diversity & Inclusion

Saima Razzaq, Birmingham Pride, Head of Diversity & Inclusion, said:

“Right now, we as a community don’t feel safe and I feel extremely disappointed. If you look at a national level every day we’re seeing another crime reported.

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“If you look on a local level in Birmingham, every week we’re seeing somebody else attacked.”

Protester George Mattu said: “The past two years, I’ve not felt safe. I’ve had quite a lot of abuse given to me as well - verbal abuse, luckily, nothing physical.

“The police presence has really gone down on Hurst Street. We don’t really see police, we see officers occasionally.”

 George Mattu joined the protests against violence towards Birmingham’s LGBTQ+ community George Mattu joined the protests against violence towards Birmingham’s LGBTQ+ community
George Mattu joined the protests against violence towards Birmingham’s LGBTQ+ community

West Midlands Police and Crime Commissioner Simon Foster was one of the speakers at the protest.

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He attended to show support for the LGBT+ community but faced some anger from a small section of the crowd.

“Well we’ve taken the immediate step of stepping up patrols in and around the Gay Village. And a couple of months ago we invested in order to establish the very first West Midlands-wide victim support hate crime service, in order to ensure that victims get the right support at the right time.

“I can reassure you that there is absolutely no place for hate crime in Birmingham or the West Midlands. It’s unacceptable and it won’t be tolerated.”

Protesters gather in the Gay Village as LGBTQ+ community members say they no longer feel safeProtesters gather in the Gay Village as LGBTQ+ community members say they no longer feel safe
Protesters gather in the Gay Village as LGBTQ+ community members say they no longer feel safe

Senior members of Birmingham City Council also attended. The authority plans to offer hate crime training to Southside venues and to set up a safe space open to those who feel vulnerable.

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Cllr John Cotton, Cabinet Member, Birmingham City Council, said: “People should not be targeted violently simply for being who they are and for loving who they choose to love and we as a council stand absolutely four square behind the LGBTQ+ community.”

Cllr Ian Ward, Leader of Birmingham City Council said: “My message to those people who are carrying out these attacks is - there’s no place for you in our city which is a very inclusive city.

“We will stand alongside the LGBT+ community in doing all we can to stamp out these attacks moving forward.”

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