Date: Sat, 13 Nov 1999 20:34:40 -0800 From: "David Elliot" Subject: [NGLTF PRESS] 1,500 March on Oakland Police Dpartment ********************************************* NATIONAL GAY AND LESBIAN TASK FORCE PRESS RELEASE Contact: David Elliot, Communications Director 202-332-6483 ext. 3303 800-757-6476 pager delliot@ngltf.org http://www.ngltf.org 1700 Kalorama Road NW, Washington, DC ********************************************* 1,500 MARCH ON OAKLAND POLICE DEPARTMENT DURING CREATING CHANGE 1,500 MARCH ON OAKLAND POLICE DEPARTMENT DURING CREATING CHANGE CONFERENCE Nov. 13, 1999 - Some 1,500 gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgendered people marched on the Oakland Police Department Saturday night in response to a police officer's slur toward a young African American transgendered person who was the victim of a hate crime. The march took place during the 12th annual Creating Change conference in Oakland. Creating Change is sponsored by the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force. Late Friday evening, a transgendered woman whose name is being withheld to protect her privacy was attacked by two assailants several blocks from the Creating Change conference. An Oakland police officer responding to the attack said, according to witnesses, "I am tired of having to do all this paperwork. You guys have been told not to be on the corner of 14th and Broadway. I am tired of your shit. Who has to do the paperwork? Me, that's who." Activists attending Creating Change learned of the attack throughout the day Saturday. Lead by local organizers, a march and peaceful protest was quickly planned. "What happened last night is a classic case of blame the victim," said NGLTF Executive Director Kerry Lobel. "Transgendered people are not paperwork." "Creating Change is about transformation," Lobel added. "I hope this event transforms the Oakland Police Department into a caring, sensitive department whose officers, each and every one, understand the words 'to protect and to serve.'" Pete King, president of East Bay Pride, said violence against GLBT people needs to be met with an immediate response whenever it occurs. "The attack last night is not an isolated occurrence unique to Oakland," King said. "It happens across the United States every day. Women, people of color, people of all faith traditions and people of all gender identities deserve to live free from fear in our city and our country. The victims of these hideous crimes need to be treated with sensitivity and compassion by the police and by other institutions." Local leaders demanded that the Oakland Police Department investigate the incident, provide sensitivity training to police officers and open a dialogue on GLBT concerns. Video and audio of the demonstration was recorded by PlanetOut's news team and will appear on PlanetOut's website by Nov. 17. The web address is www.planetout.com ____________________________________________________________________ Founded in 1973, the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force works to eliminate prejudice, violence and injustice against gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgendered people at the local, state and national level. As part of a broader social justice movement for freedom, justice and equality, NGLTF is creating a world that respects and celebrates the diversity of human expression and identity where all people may fully participate in society. _________________________________________________________________ The National Gay and Lesbian Task Force presents the Creating Change conference - the nation's premier conference for activists and organizers in the gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender movement. November 10-14 * Oakland, CA * http://www.creatingchange.org _________________________________________