VIDEO: EAST END GAY ATTACKS

A few weeks ago The George & Dragon pub in London’s Shoreditch was the scene of an attack by around 17 – 20 Bengali youths. According to reports the group tried to storm the pub and attacked smokers outside in the street.

There’s been numerous reports in recent months about the huge rise in homophobic attacks – particularly involving the local young Asian community – around London’s East End. Last year a gay guy was paralysed after being attacked by an gang who’ve recently been convicted. Additionally, there have been numerous reports of youths harassing and intimidating customers of both The George & Dragon Pub and The Joiner’s Arms on Hackney Road.

Gangs have also been harassing people walking home late at night.  Last year two men were assaulted by an Asian gang who drove up to them late at night. Despite being both straight, the gang were hurled homophobic abuse at by the gang, who then stabbed one of the guys in the leg and hit the other man over the head with a wheel brace.
View Larger Map

We spoke to Mauricio Galindo, Hoxton resident, about the recent rise in homophobia in the area. Here’s what he had to say:

In the last three weeks, we contacted the local councils (Hackney and Tower Hamlets), the Met Police, the East London Mosque and the Mayor of London’s office a number of times to try and speak to someone about what they were doing in response to these recent attacks. We wanted to give them a chance to tell us and you, what steps were being taken in the local community to help prevent such attacks.

Not one of these organisation’s press offices provided any spokesperson to discuss these issues, despite HOMOVISION contacting them over a course of three weeks.

Just last night, the Met Police released a 13.5% rise in homophobic hate crimes across the capital. Recently Manchester Police released figures that showed a doubling of gay hate crimes. Incidents include the stabbing to death of Daryl Phillips in North London and the stabbing to death of Gerry Edwards in Bromley.

Internet chatter has increasingly discussed that such increases in homophobic hate crime is the result of the failure of multi-cultural policies to address the widening gulf between the views of new citizens from countries where homosexuality is seen as morally wrong and those UK citizens who don’t. Comments posted invariably state that most perpetrators of homophobia have been either of black or Asian origin. Many site the growth of Islam and religious fundamentalism as being a catalyst for such problems.

In a response to the recent attacks in the East End, a Facebook group has been created to provide more information and discuss ways in which the problems can be tackled: http://tinyurl.com/m757am

Additionally, if you have been a victim of a homophobic incident, please contact us at: info@homovision.tv

We’re putting together a video of people talking about their experiences of hate crime which we’ll be sending to all the organisations listed above to wake them up from their slumber. We believe that the neglect of local authorities and organisations to discuss issues surrounding race, religion, community and homophobia is one of the biggest threats to our community right now.