With some local leaders worried about recent anti-LGBTQ+ sentiments across the country, authorities on Thursday addressed concerns about public safety ahead of the Long Beach Pride celebration and parade planned for this weekend.

The town hall meeting at Bixby Park was requested by members of the LGBTQ+ community and some bars along Broadway due to concerns over crime and questions about how best to protect people looking to celebrate Pride, City Councilmember Cindy Allen said.

“This is what started the conversation,” Allen told the Long Beach Post. “Things are heating up, and they’re concerned.”

Hate crime data shows that LGBTQ+ people have been one of the most frequently targeted groups in Long Beach over the last two-and-a-half years.

During the meeting Thursday inside the Bixby Park social hall, attendees’ questions ranged from what actions they could take to protect themselves, their employees and patrons during a dangerous situation to how to handle public intoxication and aggressive patrons.

“We’re tired, we’re fed up,” Robb Smith, owner of Alley Cat Deliveries, said during the meeting. “We’re not going to stand for it anymore.”

Long Beach police officers at the meeting, meanwhile, reassured attendees that they were doing everything possible to prevent crime across the city.

“We’re trying to make sure we’re as present as possible,” LBPD East Division Commander Michael Richens said. “Fact of the matter is, we can’t put a cop on every corner.”

The officers went on to explain that big events like Pride are assigned a special team that creates an event action plan to ensure people’s safety.

Though there were some concerns regarding the shootings that happened during Grand Prix weekend, LBPD South Division Commander Stephanie Hall said the department has “learned some lessons and grown a little bit since there.”

Additionally, the officers told attendees to stay vigilant and call police if they don’t feel safe so the department can monitor the situation and provide the appropriate resources.

“The random acts of violence … we can’t protect you from that,” Richens said.

But the officers can stop the suspect from causing more damage and hurting other people, police said.

“That’s what we can do for you,” Richens said. “We’ll get there as quick as we can.”