You have to ask yourself if it is safe to wander the streets of Cedar Springs and Oaklawn these days due to all of the recent robberies, vandalism, and hate crimes we have seen springing up out of nowhere. Just last night the front door windows of Woody’s, JR’s, & TMC were all smashed in last and is really an eye-opener. Two of these incidents happened on a Thursday night since the guy who got his eye slit from the side was on the night just the week before. One of them was after the Pride parade where the victim was beaten with a bat.
Things you can do to be safe in Oaklawn area:
1. Walk in Groups. Try not to walk alone and if you happen to meet someone at the bars or outside the club make sure you can trust the person you are walking with. Trust your instincts.
2. Drink Less. Make sure you are alert and coherent enough to get home without someone taking advantage of you.
3. Take an Uber, Taxi, or Lyft. This is the SAFEST way possible to get home. You can get Free Rides here if you have not used one of these before.
4. Carry Mace possibly? Not sure if this is good for those going into nightclubs as it can be used in a wrong way but not bad to have stowed away in your coat or pockets.
5. PARK in an area that is paid such as the Caven pay lot. The good folks over at the Caven lot such as John and his boys will be glad to keep your car safe for only $8 or $10.
6. Be alert of your surroundings at all times and keep your wallet in your front pocket inside the club. These thugs come in the club too. Don’t rely on video cameras as the clubs say they NEVER have any footage to give out.
7. Be aggressive in getting the clubs and other establishments in installing cameras to deter crime. See below for an example email and write on their facebook walls and email Caven and other big business in the gayborhood that could do more to keep us safe.
Tracy Nanthavongsa commented on FB that “Well it’s Friday, and considering everything that has been going on lately plus the vandalism last night, something needs to be said. First off, travel in numbers. Do not walk to your car or home alone regardless if you’re drunk or not. Secondly, don’t be that asshole friend that lets their friend walk alone to Office Depot, the Centrum, or any back alley. Third, we all need to voice our opinions to the association that manages the strip. Enough is enough! I want to see security cameras in plain sight. I want to see an investment in trained off-duty police officers paid for by the association. *end rant*” He has a great point to travel in numbers.
Brian Haywood commented that “You guys should be at least carrying pepper spray everywhere you go. It doesn’t matter if you can fight and feel confident defending yourself Idc how bad ass you are you aren’t going to win against more than one person at a time if they have any idea how to fight. Guys and girls protect yourself spend a little bit of money for pepper spray and keep it with you at all times. It’s easy to use in a small container and I can tell you from personal experience it put me down for 45 minutes.”
Here is a Roundup of all of the brutal attacks and anti-gay activity going on around Oaklawn in the past few weeks from the Legacy of Love Monument Facebook Event:
Blake (last name withheld) was walking to friend’s house at 9:15 p.m. on Sept. 20 after the Dallas Pride Parade and was attacked by four men at the intersection of Sylvester and Wycliff. He was abducted, beaten with a bat and called homophobic slurs before being left bloodied and bruised on the street. This case is being investigated as a hate crime.
Jaime (Michael) Domingez was brutally attacked around the time of 12 am on Friday October 2nd. The assailants hit him from behind, and attacked him multiple times with a razor blade/knife. He was left for dead on the side of the road. He has stab wounds and cuts on his arms, stomach, and was sliced across the eye. There is a GoFundMe account set up to help cover his medical costs and to help him get by while he recovers.
Dallas police are now learning about a third attack on a man named Michael (Last name withheld) in Oak Lawn.
In this case, the victim says two people punched him as he walked to a bar on Cedar Springs.
Michael says he didn’t call police right away because he’d been drinking.
But he changed his mind after seeing Jaime Domingez’ story on FOX 4 on Tuesday.
“When I saw him, I just broke down in tears,” said Michael. “I feel like it was my fault…if I would have just said something.”
The body of Shade Schuler, 22, a trans woman of color, was found July 29 in a neighborhood near the 5600 block of Riverside Drive, near Dallas’ Medical District.
The body was severely decomposed, and a cause of death and motive for the killing has yet to be determined.
How can you Take Action?
Get out and let your voice be heard!!
There is an event page set up for the *Meet at the Legacy of Love Monument” on Facebook that is located at the corner of Cedar Springs and Oaklawn.
*Please bring signs, banners, flags, candles or other light sources.
*Please help spread the word across social media.
On Sunday from 7:00pm – 8:00pm
Write letters and get on Facebook and Twitter and let these people know we need action NOW!!
Here is a Sample Email to send to the Cedar Springs Board Members:
Attention CSMA Board Members –
I have been a repeat patron to your many fine establishments for years. As a community we have grown together. We protested, we cried, and we overcame the impossible. We saw same-sex marriage legalized in our lifetime! As you are very well aware of, the recent string of violent attacks against our LGBT family and friends is getting out of control. We are demanding change. We are demanding security. We are demanding a meeting to be held immediately to discuss possible solutions in keeping our area safe. We look forward to your announcement on a meeting date.
Sincerely,
[YOUR NAME]
Email it to the following members:
director@thestriponcedarsprings.com, vp@thestriponcedarsprings.com, sec@thestriponcedarsprings.com, treas@thestriponcedarsprings.com, member1@thestriponcedarsprings.com, member2@thestriponcedarsprings.com
Another way to take action is to donate to the victims above who have set up Go Fund Me accounts and need your help to pay for medical bills.
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