A gay pub is inviting victims of homophobic attacks to anonymously report attacks.
The Joiners Arms in Hackney Road has set up reporting boxes in the pub that will be passed onto the police, according to the Hackney Gazette.
The idea was unveiled at a meeting of the gay community at the pub last Wednesday evening. The lesbian gay and bisexual community is concerned about a spate of attacks in the area, reports the paper.
Dave Pollard, the landlord of the Joiners Arms said: “It’s not just a gay issue. People are being attacked for how they look. They should be able to walk down the street without fear.”
Politicians had been invited to address the meeting, including Terry McGrenera from the Green Party, Conservative London Assembly Andrew Boff, Labour’s deputy leader of Tower Hamlets council Josh Peck and Hackney Council’s advisor on crime and community safety Julius Nkafu.
The meeting was chaired by Tower Hamlets Lib Dem leader Stephanie Eaton.
She said it was important for the community to work together rather than be divided when tackling crime.
Boff said: “My concern is that these kind of crimes increase during a period of recession.”
Tower Hamlets councillor Josh Peck pledged that lighting in streets near the George and Dragon and Joiners Arms will be improved to make people feel safer.
He said the council was also working with police to increase patrols in the Shoreditch area.
Councillor Nfaku said: “We take hate crime seriously. Please report it. It is only in reporting it that something gets done.”
He is planning a follow up meeting in three months time for police and Hackney and Tower Hamlets councils to give people an update on what they are doing to counter homophobia.