A protest has been organised for this Saturday to Keep Newtown Weird and Safe after a man was brutally bashed last week.
25 year old Isaac Keatinge, who identifies as queer, was approached by a group of men while walking down King Street last Saturday night. The end result of the confrontation left Keatinge in hospital with 15 stitches in his head.
On the attack, he explained “I was confronted by some straight men who didn’t appreciate the gorgeous gown or make-up I was wearing. They started insulting the way I was dressed. They asked why I was dressed like a woman, that I must be a faggot.”
While police are currently investigating the attack, Newtown locals have joined forces to organise a protest to turn Newtown back into the accepting and open place it once was. Reclaim The Streets Sydney, who have been a strong force in combating the current lockout laws have organised the event Keep Newtown Weird and Safe.
With a Facebook event that so far has gained a huge amount of support, RTS have perfectly summed up the aim of the protest, and why this is such an important issue.
RTS spokesperson James Loch has voiced his opinion on the lockout laws and the way they have turned Newtown sour over the past year, saying “These are our friends, our adopted families who are being harassed, bullied, intimidated and beaten. We all came to Newtown to avoid that kind of bullshit, but thanks to Casino Mike it has followed us here.”
Also taking aim at the Liberal Government and their stance on issues as important as same-sex marriage, explaining “The fact is the Liberal Party stirs up hatred of LGBTI people with policies like bans on same-sex marriage and attacks on anti-bullying programs, and by courting hate groups like the Australian Christian Lobby.
“They do this because it gives them the electoral support that allows them to lower taxes on big business and sell public assets to their mates. This hate has real world consequences on people we know. We are literally hurting so they can profit.”
The Keep Newtown Weird and Safe protest will be going down this Saturday at 3pm, kicking off at Sydney’s Victoria Park. You can check out all the event details here.
