The recent spike in New York City hate crimes has forced local legislators to go to drastic measures to ensure the safety of the city's LGBT community. The city will now offer free self defense classes to residents in Manhattan, Brooklyn and Queens that will be sponsored by City Council Speaker and mayoral candidate Christine Quinn, as well as Council's LGBT Caucus.
The Center for Anti-Violence Prevention will lead the classes, which begin this Sunday at 4 p.m at West Village's LGBT Community Center. The next class will be held next Wednesday at the Hudson Guild Elliot Center in Chelsea.
State Senator Brad Hoylman also plans to hold an open forum to analyze the status of the state's hate crime law, which was passed in 2000. After the recent string of anti-gay violence, Hoylman has begun to question whether the law is enough.
