Nearly 100 New York City residents have attended free self-defense training sessions organized in the wake of recent hate crimes.
City Council Speaker Christine Quinn says Saturday the classes were meant to empower New Yorkers and prevent future violence. She says the number of hate crimes against LGBT New Yorkers has doubled since last year.
The classes were held at the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Community Center in Manhattan. Instructors from the Center for Anti-Violence Education led the sessions.
The training offered violence prevention strategies and safety tips.
Quinn says there are three more sessions scheduled in Manhattan, Queens and Brooklyn this month. Additional sessions will be held in Staten Island and the Bronx.
