Violence against gays unchecked in Sydney

LGBT civil rights groups are voicing concern about escalating violence against gays in Sydney and are warning it may spiral out of control in the lead-up to Mardi Gras. The Gay and Lesbian Anti-Violence Project of the AIDS Council has lodged a formal complaint with the New South Wales Ombudsman accusing police of failing to protect the gay community. In the past six weeks there have been 22 reports of anti-gay violence alone. The situation has become so extreme and the police response so slow Sydney Lord Mayor Clover Moore has complained twice in writing over the past month to NSW Police Minister David Campbell. Moore has demanded that police take more action. Despite advocating for years for more police protection in and around Oxford Street little has been done said AIDS Council CEO Stevie Clayton. "We've trained police about dealing with homophobic violence, we've helped develop the Oxford St Safety Strategy, we've set-up systems to share intelligence and we've continually called for more resources," said Clayton. "Despite these efforts, the violence continues to escalate and the police response is not keeping pace with it. Like the rest of our community, we feel that enough is enough. That's why we're now taking the matter to the Ombudsman so we can get an independent assessment of the problem and finally put an end to the inaction and buck passing." Last month a gay couple was attacked leaving one of the men with a shattered jaw and broken leg. There have been no arrests. With tens of thousands of people expected to attend next month's Mardi Gras gay festival in Sydney Clayton expressed concerns the mounting violence will worsen.