Local GLBT advocacy group Gays and Lesbians Opposed to Violence (GLOV) are calling out Adrian Fenty for what they characterize as a lack of attention to hate-bias motivated attacks in the District. GLOV is upset that the mayor has snubbed the group’s appeals for a meeting on the issue. From a press release:

Despite GLOV‘s many requests to meet with Mayor Fenty to address concerns about the violent attacks occurring against DC’s GLBT citizens, the Mayor has yet to respond. He did however have time Thursday to speak to Fox News about the issue saying simply, “Hate crimes, I think, are down for the most part in DC this year. We take all of them (bias crimes) seriously and look for trends.”

GLOV cites the recent Logan Circle killing of Durval Martins as evidence that hate-motivated crimes against gays have reached a critical point in the District of Columbia. GLOV’s letter to Fenty, after the jump:

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 Durval 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