I was off yesterday, and I admit I have slipped in getting some information posted here.
This letter was sent out by Fort Worth Mayor Mike Moncrief on Friday:
We all join in wishing Mr. Gibson a speedy and full recovery.
Currently, two investigations are underway to review the circumstances and events that took place at the Rainbow Lounge early Sunday morning. The Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission (TABC) is conducting an investigation and the Fort Worth Police Department’s Internal Affairs Division is conducting its own investigation.
I join Police Chief Jeff Halstead in encouraging any eye-witnesses to the events under review to come forward and share their observations.
Members of the City Council and I have confidence that Chief Halstead is leading a thorough and professional investigation. Once the Fort Worth Police Department’s examination is complete, I have asked the acting U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas, James T. Jacks, to independently review the findings of the Fort Worth Police Department’s investigation to ensure the department has thoroughly and impartially carried out its obligation to all the citizens of Fort Worth. I encourage the TABC to follow the same course.
Fort Worth has a history of inclusiveness, and the Fort Worth Police Department has a history of responsible and professional service to our citizens. The police department’s internal investigation and the outside review is meant to ensure all citizens are professionally and responsibly represented by our police department. I am most appreciative to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for assisting us in this effort.
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Stand up for LGBT rights here in North Texas! Queer Liberaction is hosting a number of public events in response to the Rainbow Lounge Raid (see below). To get up to date information on these LGBT issues become a fan of Queer Lliberaction on facebook or visit our website at queerliberaction.org. Come speak your mind and show North Texas that we won’t take second class citizenship anymore!
Milk box
Sundance Square in Fort Worth
Houston & 3rd St.
Sunday, July 5
7:00 PM
MILK BOX – RAINBOW LOUNGE RAID
In response to the raid at the Rainbow Lounge, Queer Liberaction is set to take its Milk box to Sundance Square in the heart of downtown Fort Worth this coming Sunday, July 5th at 7:00 PM. Those that were at the Rainbow Lounge Raid will speak on the events they witnessed.
Ambassadors and leaders from the Queer community will be setting up Queer Liberaction’s Milk box outside of the gayborhood as a way to engage the public in a discussion on GLBT equality. Named in honor of Harvey Milk, our public free speech event is a fun and engaging way which encourages dialog regarding homophobia and the civil rights denied to GLBT people. Join Queer Liberaction as we stand up and speak OUT to our neighbors about how discrimination affects us all.
Rainbow Lounge Raid Rally
Tarrant County Courthouse
100 E Weatherford
Sunday, July 12
7:00 PM
THE RAINBOW LOUNGE RAIND – RALLY
LGBT North Texas will rally again at the Tarrant County Courthouse on Sunday, July 12 at 7:00 PM. If in the next two weeks there is city-wide condemnation of the Rainbow Lounge Raid then the rally will then be one to congratulate the city on their swift and sharp action. On the other hand, if first hand reports still contradict the official story, if arresting officers are not seriously disciplined, if the officer responsible for Chad Gibson’s brain hemorrhage is still an active member of the Fort Worth Police Department, if apologies are not issued by the mayor, Mike Moncrief, and the Fort Worth Police Chief, Jeffery Halstead then the tone of the rally will adequately express the indignation from our community regarding the City of Fort Worth’s less than aggressive response to homophobia and police brutality.
Apologies? What good do they do? Arresting officers need to lose their jobs if it is found that they unlawfully did anything in regards to this raid. Also, the investigation should look at past complaints with the FWPD (I know of 3 or 4) and see what the Ft. Worth City Council members did about those complaints. This isn’t just an isolated problem. These sorts of issues don’t just pop up from nowhere. There have been problems w/in FWPD for years! Not only should the arresting officers lose their jobs but superviors, Lts, Sgts, etc. should be held accountable for the poor job some of them do. Also, how many really high end bars have been raided? Who exactly is involved in deciding what bars get raided and for what reason? We should be extremely aggressive in demanding answers from the Ft. Worth City Council.
The Milk Box rally yesterday was very well attended. Estimates of almost 150 people at it’s height.
With the exception of one car who drove by, all honked and signaled thumbs up, and the press was there in abundance. Ft. Worth police were there also but only on bicycles as observers and to keep the demonstrators safe. They were courteous and friendly.
As we keep the pressure on, I sincerely hope independent investigations can get to the bottom of the events at the Rainbow Lounge. I understand the officers with TABC have been put on administrative leave pending the investigation.
I know there’s not much that Dallas city officials can do about this, but has the Dallas Police Department made any statement condemning the raid? I think we need to pressure our own police department to suspend joint raids with TABC until they can get their act together.
Mayor Leppert has done a good job promoting Dallas as a gay-friendly destination so all that work would be put in jeopardy if the PR nightmare Ft. Worth is dealing with spreads into our city. Now that this story is getting national attention, it’s easy to imagine that Dallas (as in Dallas-Fort Worth) would get sucked into this and branded as intolerant. We should pressure our city leaders to condemn the actions of the FWPD to distance ourselves from the situation.
Tammye, why would you say that you “have confidence that Chief Halstead is leading a thorough and professional investigation” since he followed the incident with a series of lies and innuendos attacking Mr. Gibson and defending his force—before he knew anything?
He’s either got to do a TON of repair or he should resign. I know Texas is known worldwide as a wonderful place that treats gays as equal citizens (smirk, smirk), but this chief needs to act very differently in the future even in backwaters like Texas….
@TonyJazz:
I didn’t say that. Mayor Mike Moncrief said that. Read back over the entry and you’ll see that everything past the second line is quoting a statement from the mayor.
I personally HOPE that the FWPD’s investigation will be thorough and professional. But I am in wait and see mode.