Chuck Potter was at the Rainbow Lounge last night. He sent me photos.
They are kind of dark and grainy, but you can see what’s going on.
Chuck also says there will be a protest rally over this today in Fort Worth. I will post details when I know them.
Here are the photos:
Officers have someone on the floor inside the bar
Patrons and officers outside the bar. Notice that the man on the left in the white shirt is handcuffed
Dear Mayor Moncrief,
While I am a current resident of Dallas, I am an alumnus of
Nolan Catholic High School and my parents still reside in the City, so I have
many Fort Worth ties. Councilmember Burns and JD Angle are long time friends.
I received disturbing news last night that apparently the Fort Worth Police Dept.
raided a newly open gay bar, the Rainbow Lounge, on South Jennings last night.
What is most disturbing is that this raid happened on the same night as the
40th anniversary of the Stonewall Inn Riots in NYC which began the Civil Rights movement
for GLBT Americans. I urge you to contact Chief Halsted to investigate the reason
for this organized raid. I don’t have all the details, but if city licenses and TABC permits
were in order – there was simply no call for this action by the Police Department of Fort Worth.
I look forward to hearing from you soon regarding this matter.
Sincerely,
Jay Narey
Vice President
Stonewall Democrats of Dallas
I just came across this story from a link from the Daily Kos. I have been reading articles about the 40th anniversary of the police raid on the Stonewall Inn in New York in 1969. I cannot believe this bs is going on in 2009! I wish I was down there in Texas, because if I was I would be out protesting and raising hell to protest this travesty.
My prayers are with all the LGBT community down in Texas. Fight for your rights!
from Michigan
What the 7734 is going on there???!!!
I am appalled. Anyone reading this should be sickened that in this day and age, in a supposedly free country, that heavy handed governmentally sponsored tacticts such as those illustrated above are being tolerated. Every person who cares about freedom from tyranny should be equally outraged at these attrocities to freedom.
And those of you who self identify as conservative should be just as outraged as anyone who was in the lounge that night. This is the government infringing on the rights of citizens to peacefully go about their business. That is all this is. If they do it to these folks, they can do it to you too, and just because your particular group isn’t under fire currently, doesn’t mean that they never will. Even if only out of pure self interest, please, give this situation the attention it deserves.
Oh, and as an aside, I am hetero, married with kids, and have never had a gay experience in my life. This isn’t about which community you are a member of, this is about basic human rights and the right not to be hassled by the government, simply due to your being a member of a certain class, is not a gay or straight issue. It is a basic right of citizenship issue.
I truly believe (I want to believe) that most of the Fort Worth Police force are reasonable people who uphold the law, but from what I’ve read and seen, it appears that a reminder to at least some of them may be in order: NO ONE is above the law. Allow me to suggest the following:
https://www.cafepress.com/sporkbarrel.395801599
Officers arrived at the Rainbow Lounge to conduct the scheduled inspection. The Fort Worth Police Officers who participated in this bar check included the following:
Officer K. Gober, #3656,
Officer J. Ricks, #3484,
Officer M. Marquez, #3655,
Officer J. Jenson, #3731,
Officer J. Back, #3863,
Officer J. Moss, #3722
and Sergeant Morris.
To donate to a fund for Chad Gibson, walk into any Frost Bank location in Texas and ask to make a donation to Q Cinema for the benefit of Chad Gibson (the donation is through Q Cinema in order to be tax deductible). The account number is 608439230. Ability to make online donations coming soon.
Let us hope that these officers are charged with attempted homocide and put to death under the benign Texas death penalty statute.
And let’s hope that stays attempted, rather than first degree murder under color of state law.
As a straight woman from Brooklyn, I share the outrage that such a vicious persecution should take place in this day and age. That any group who is acting in a law-abiding manner going about their lives should be attacked by those in uniform is the most gross form of tyranny. It cannot be tolerated.
Though commenter Shame has listed those officers who participated in the raid, I caution people from condemning all the officers. Let’s separate the chaff from the wheat and identifiy those officers who used excessive force and those who didn’t (if that was the case). Furthermore, it’s important to know who ordered the raid, not just the officers who obeyed those orders. These past few years, we’ve had too many instances of those setting policy and giving orders from their cushy offices getting off scot-free because they were not at the scene, and low-level grunts who receive the bulk of the punishment. Let’s follow this up the chain of command to the one who decided on this hit job.
My prayers for Chad Gibson and his family. Unbelievable that this would happen in 2009. And on the Stonewall anniversary no less. Totally barbaric and fully brutalizing viciousness of hate and bigotry from a major American city’s police department. How very sad for Ft Worth to have such backwards police.
Is this taking place in Ft. Worth or Cairo?
The Ft. Worth police actually think that flirting with another man in a gay bar is not only a crime, but one worthy of a near-fatal beat down?
This man has a clear case for a serious lawsuit against the city and the officers. Does Ft. Worth think it can selectively enforce “public drunkenness” as a new excuse for abusing gays after the SC shot down Texas’ sodomy law 6 years ago?
The Forth Worth Police Department should be ashamed. They are intrusted to serve and protect the public, not violently violate the public. The man they attacked, pays their salaries through his taxes! Even if the 26 year old guy did grope the office (which I seriously doubt he did), attacking an unarmed person within an inch of this life is unethical, immoral, and most likely illegal. The Fort Worth Chief of Police should be fired as should those officers involved in this dispicable raid.
The world is watching… I hope justice prevails.
-Dean
I can not believe this!
As a straight woman who has spent many a night in gay bars and even worked in a couple, I am DISGUSTED and OUTRAGED!
As a Texas resident, I am embarrassed and sad.
All my love to the gibson family. You are in my thoughts and prayers.
And to Chad, who’s sweet picture on facebook tells the real story… you are loved and lifted up by so many people across this country right now. I am sending you healing and light in this time of darkness.
Just wanted all those arrested to know, not to rely on the investigations, or law suits against the FWPD & TABC. They will protect themselves with resources well beyound what you can imagine, but you do have the right to sue each officer & agent personally in a cival suit which of course will be judged by a jury of your peers. Even if you don’t win your case it may make others think twice, in that, they can’t always hide behind a badge.