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International News
by Andy Harley . UK Gay News
Crack down on hate crimes
LONDON — The Metropolitan Police
Service (MPS) carried out a series of raids on
May 20 across London to crack down on
domestic, homophobic, transphobic, race and
other forms of Iftte crimes. The raids were a
part of the force’s Operation Athena.
A spokesperson said that there had been
more than 200 people arrested by the end of
the business day. How many arrests were the
result of homo’phobic hate crimes remains
unknown.
Operation Athena coincided with the May
20 International Day Against Homophobia,
which took place May 17.
The MPS will be proactively targeting dan
gerous and prolific offenders across the 32
boroughs in London, as well as carrying out
high visibility patrols, and working with
neighborhood teams to encourage victims to
come forward and report to us directly, or
through a third party.
Hate and faith crimes include racist, homo-
phobic and disability motivated crime, as well .
as crimes against adults at risk or older people
by members of their own family or caregivers.
The operation is in its ninth year. Police say
the campaign helps to send a clear message:
violence, whatever the form, is unacceptable.
“We now have public protection groups in
every London borough, dedicated to proac
tively investigating a wide range of domestic
violence, hate and sexual crimes perpetrated
by violent and dangerous offenders,” he said.
“We remain concerned that such crimes
remain unreported, which we understand can
be for a number of different reasons. I want to
personally appeal to victims to report these
hurtful, sensitive and insidious crimes directly
to police or through a third party or non
police reporting site.”
The MPS has 215 LGBT liaison officers
working across all of London’s 32 boroughs.
Their duties include advising, guiding and
supporting police officers and staff in their
everyday dealings with LGBT people who live,
work and visit the city.
Anti-gay protests illegal?
RIGA, Latvia — Police say an anti-gay
rally and march staged to coincide with an '
LGBT Pride festival on May 17 could have
been illegal.
Latvian State Police said they have
launched an “administrative investigation”
into the counter-march, which they indicated
had been organized by religious groups and
nationalists.
“An administrative investigation can take
up to four months and during this time the
police will analyze all the evidence gathered
relating to the case in order to decide which
persons and under which article should be
administratively charged,” Latvian State Police
press spokesman Aigars Blrzi told the LETA
news agency.
A police officer had hinted at the possible
legal violations’at the Pride festival. He said
the opposition demonstration had been
“unsanctioned and without a proper authori
sation from the relevant authorities.”
According to the intelligence available to
the police, the counter-demonstration was
organised by supporters of the religious sect
New Generation Church led by Russian emi
gre Alexei Ledyaev, LETA reported.
Under Latvian law, up to four months is
allowed for an administrative investigation. If
after that time there is insufficient evidence
admissible in court against an individual or
individuals, the case is closed.
As reported by UK Gay News and in Q-
Notes' last issue, the Baltic Gay Pride festival
Police stand guard over an anti-LGBT
counter-protest of Riga’s Baltic Gay Pride.
Photo Credit: UK Gay News
had overcome several obstacles before getting
approval to hold their event from city officials.
Domestic abuse campaign launched
BIRMINGHAM, UK. — Pink Shield, a
local LGBT advocacy and resource organiza
tion, launched posters for its “Unzip the
Silence” campaign at Birmingham Pride on
May 24.
The groundbreaking campaign aims to
encourage people to seek help, whether they
are victims or perpetrators.
“A quarter of lesbian and gay people
expect to be treated less well by a police
officer than other victims of crime,” said
Angela Gilraine, chairperson of Pink
Shield. “We have made tremendous steps
forward in working with West Midlands
Police to understand why people feel this
way and what needs to be done to change
it. People who are vulnerable to domestic
abuse from partners or from homophobic
family members are often confused about
their situation.”
She added, “They may see their experience
as being unique to their situation and do not
understand that violence and abuse is just as
unacceptable in same-sex relationships as it is
anywhere else in our society^
Jean McEntire, a member of West
Midlands Police Authority, pointed out that
the Authority takes very seriously the rela
tionship between the police and the gay
community. *
“A recent survey indicated that a police
force’s reputation, not just in tackling
homophobic hate crime but also as a gay-
friendly employer has a positive impact on
whether gay or lesbian people would
report homophobic hate incidents to the
police,” she said. “I believe that the force’s
2009 award of 28th place in Stonewall’s top
100 employers demonstrates that people
can have faith in West Midlands Police
Force’s and Authority’s positive attitudes to
diversity.”
The campaign is also sponsored by The
British Transport Police, and is supported by
Birmingham City Council and Eighty3
Creative.1
— News briefs originally published by UK
Gay News at www.ukgaynews.org.uk.
Reprinted with permission.
8 MAY30.2009»((jNotes