The Washington, D.C. GLBT Anti-Violence Task Force, or GLOV (Gays and Lesbians Opposing Violence), has issued an action alert on the continued rash of anti-gay violence in the nation’s capital.

From HRC Back Story:

Today Gays and Lesbians Opposing Violence (GLOV), a program of The DC Center, sent a letter to Mayor Adrian Fenty to request an urgent meeting in response to rising incidents of violence against LGBT people in the area, including the heartbreaking murder of Durval Martins this week. Here is the text of the letter in its entirety:

Mr. Mayor: Over the past several months, members of the Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender (GLBT) community have become increasingly concerned with violent crime that seems to be targeting our community. Just yesterday, a man named Duval Martins was shot to death on his way home from visiting gay bars on the popular 17th Street strip.

GLOV (Gays and Lesbians Opposing Violence) has requested on numerous occasions through your office to meet with you, but we have been repeatedly informed that you are not interested in a meeting at this time. We write to ask that you reconsider. The community is nervous and on edge, as violence around us continues to increase. We have met with the Police, the United States Attorney’s Office, community organizations, and members of the City Council (the City Council even had a Hearing on Hate Crimes last Friday), but we have not heard from our Mayor. This is not acceptable. We need to meet with you to present our concerns personally, to hear that you understand the issues, to learn what your plans are to address them, and to see how we can all – city agencies, the police, the prosecutors, community organizations, and business leaders – can work together to end the hate-filled violence that is plaguing our community.

We would like to ask again that you convene an urgent meeting to address these issues, and that you include the Chief of Police, someone from the US Attorney’s Office, representatives of the City Council, and other city and community leaders who are focused on this issue. We need your leadership at this time, and we need to know that you are listening.

Sincerely,

Chris Farris
Todd Metrokin
Co-Chairs
GLOV

HRC is encouraging all of its members to send similar letters and messages to Washington, D.C., Mayor Adrian Fenty. Tell him “hate violence is unacceptable and urging him to immediately communicate a strategy for making our community safe for everyone,” HRC says.

Fenty’s email is adrian.fenty@dc.gov.