Street Angels start petition

Gay website GenerationQ is continuing to push local authorities to clean up Oxford St and other gay ghettos.
The website, which is also behind the GenQ Street Angels, has started an online petition – Making Oxford St Safer.
The petition comes as Sydney City Council and ACON announced an historic agreement that will see a gay and lesbian safe place opened on Oxford St in the coming weeks.
GenerationQ producer Chris Pycroft said it was hoped the petition would “create awareness of the lack of action taken by local governments on this issue, and to ensure that members of the gay community are heard”.
“Members of the gay community who visit Oxford St of an evening no longer feel safe,” Pycroft said.
“With more people speaking out on being victims in hate crimes, it is time to resolve this problem.”
The petition follows increased pressure on Surry Hills police and Sydney City Council to act fast to fix problems on the strip.
A police blitz of venues last weekend saw the club formerly known as Manacle shut down and eight people charged with various offences.
NSW Police have since admitted its anti-gay crime figures don’t accurately reflect the true nature and level of crime against the community.
Pycroft said more pressure needed to be applied to the authorities until a satisfactory outcome was achieved.
“Awareness needs to be increased, and this issue needs to be dealt with now before there are more casualties,” he said.
“This campaign will not stop until Oxford St is safe, and will stretch to all measures necessary to ensure this happens.”
The GenQ Street Angels are expected to start patrols of Oxford St this month, before branching out into other areas favoured by Sydney’s gay and lesbian community.
GenerationQ founder Andrew Stopps said a number of people had expressed interest in joining the patrol squad, which is being formed in response to the Sydney Star Observer campaign to reclaim gay-friendly areas of Sydney.
Stopps said GenerationQ had also been in discussions with ACON, the Anti-Violence Project and Twenty10 with the view of involving them in the project.
The petition will be presented to the local, state and federal governments to increase pressure for an immediate resolution to making Oxford St safer.
To sign the online petition visit www.petitiononline.com/genqoxp1/petition.html. To volunteer as a GenQ Street Angel visit www.generationq.net. To post an unsafe gay hotspot visit www.genqmedia.com/contact.php.