Police 'Lock Down' Dallas Gayborhood After A Dozen Hate Crimes

Dallas police started a task force and launched "lock-down" patrols in Dallas' Oak Lawn gayborhood after a dozen violent attacks in the past few months.

Towleroad reports that Mayor Mike Rawlings walked the area this Friday to help assuage residents. The police have enacted the rarely-used lock down patrol, assigning about a half dozen uniformed officers to stay in the area, rather than patrol a larger beat. CrimeStoppers has also increased its reward for information in the attacks to $10,000.

But LGBT advocates say it is not enough. They are planning a protest for today, Sunday, outside police headquarters over what they say is a failure to adequately address the problem.

On the Facebook page Oak Lawn to DPD, Rally for Change, gay advocates are demanding that an increased presence and better protection.

"Survivors have been beaten with bats, stabbed with box cutters, pistol whipped and pummeled with fists," write protest organizers. "In several of these attacks, homophobic language has been used by the assailants. For weeks DPD has promised an increased presence in the neighborhood. When pushed on the fact that such an increase has been spotty and largely invisible, DPD has pointed to officer shortages and has now even suggested that the protection provided by our tax dollars is not enough and that we should pay for expanded patrols by off duty officers. We say no more!"

Bartender Geoffrey Hubbard, pictured, became at least the 12th victim on Thursday when attackers struck him in the head while he was walking to a friend's house. They attempted to rob him. Hubbard crawled under a vehicle to escape. He sustained a fractured skull.

"I'm not saying avoid the streets and lock your doors, but don't travel alone," Hubbard told WFAA-TV.