When liquor laws changed in nearby suburbs of Sydney, night-time revellers flocked to the diverse community of Newtown. Officially, there was no increase in street assaults, but many reported a surge of harassment and violence against the LGBTI community.  

The Keep Newtown Weird and Safe protest in April 2016 aimed to promote a welcoming culture and acceptance of diversity.   The event's Facebook page explained it was ‘about reasserting Newtown’s identity as a beautiful community of queers, weirdoes, freaks, hippies, goths, punks, ferals, migrants and everyone else who doesn’t fit in elsewhere’.

All images © Philip Bohle