A grassroots push to investigate the deaths of nearly 100 gay men in Sydney over three decades has manifested itself as the documentary project Killing Off The Beat, and its producers have started an Indiegogo campaign to fund the film.
The film addresses claims the New South Wales police are culpable for brutality against the city’s gay population, while also calling for a Royal Commission into the handling of Sydney’s ‘gay-hate killings.’ The film’s main force Serkan Ozturk says many of these deaths were improperly labeled as suicides.
Production on the film have already secured interviews with prominent figures within the gay scene and behind the scene of the investigations, and their allegations remain startling. Newsreader Geoff Field spoke about the death of his colleague Ross Warren, saying “I’ve heard more about botched police investigations, about gangs that were probably responsible for Ross’ death, and it just makes me sad. Really sad.”
American investigative journalist Daniel Glick has also thrown his support behind the project; Glick, known for his long-running investigation into a U.S student Scott Johnson’s death at Manly Beach, was instrumental in the case being re-opened after he brought evidence to the police outlining Johnson’s possible murder.
The campaign has currently raised over $1000 of its $50k target, and is aiming for release in mid-2016.
Story: Indiegogo.
Photo: Youtube.
