Hyde Park Gang Stunt

If you were scared by the dark figures lurking in the park this week, fear not, they are all part of a campaign to stop you walking across Woodhouse Moor in the dark.

Olivia Nash, a third year Graphic Arts and Design student, has created the group of hooded wooden silhouettes and scattered them throughout the park to grab the attention of passers by. The figures warn: “See me now. You won’t later. Don’t walk through Hyde Park at night”.

The series of muggings that led Olivia to launch the campaign resulted in several victims requiring hospital treatment. One victim, who was walking home through the park from University at 6pm, explained to Leeds Student the seriousness of his attack: “I could be dead, that’s how close it was.”

The campaign hopes to encourage students to consider which route they take home, particularly after dark. Olivia explained: “We are always given leaflets left, right and centre from both the council and the police but leaflets just don’t work anymore. I’ve seen first hand what it does to people who lose someone through an assault. If this small ‘stunt’ can stop just a few more people from walking through Hyde Park at night then it’s served its purpose.”

Harriet Rankin, the Union’s Welfare Officer, has praised Olivia’s effort: “It’s excellent to see people coming up with innovative solutions that encourage us all to think about our choices and how we avoid dodgy situations.”

Although many of the silhouettes are still standing, ironically some of the figures were stolen on their first night in the park.