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Ruling in Texas gay bar raid: No 'excessive force'
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by Susan Marie Kovalinsky | November 5, 2009 at 07:46 am
307 views | 64 Recommendations | 13 comments
The Texas liquor board has cleared its agents of excessive force charges after issuing a 74 page report on the June raiding of the gay bar, the Rainbow Lounge, which led to summer protests and outcries by the LGBT community there.
The Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission (TABC) on Thursday asserted the Lounge was not targeted because its patrons are gay and lesbian.
The Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission (TABC) on Thursday asserted the Lounge was not targeted because its patrons are gay and lesbian.
The agency also says agents didn’t use " force beyond what was necessary and reasonable" during the operation on June 28 of this year.
(Pictured upper left: Protesters after TABC raid on Rainbow Lounge; picture of 'excessive force' used by agents)
TABC Administrator Alan Steen says that although evidence didn’t show agents targeted the bar or used excessive force, they did violate several policies. A 74-page report of the raid is expected to be ready later Thursday. It was compiled from statements by eyewitnesses, experts, TABC employees and Fort Worth police.
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Recommendations (64)
Spydermonkey
huntsville, Alabama, United States
Karl Gotthardt - albertacowpoke
Redwater, Alberta, Canada
Rhonda J Mangus
North Tonawanda, New York, United States
Barbara McPherson
Nanaimo, Canada
Amy Judd
Vancouver, Canada
Uwe Paschen
Narita, Chiba, Japan
Jordan Yerman
Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
Most RecentMost Recommended Comments (13)
at 08:00 on November 5th, 2009
"TABC Administrator Alan Steen says that although evidence didn’t show agents targeted the bar or used excessive force, they did violate several policies."
And what policies, if not intentional targeting and use of excessive force, would those be?
at 08:03 on November 5th, 2009
I hear you loud and clear, I had wondered same .....something rotten in the state of TX
at 08:08 on November 5th, 2009
It appears from the story that a copy of the report is due today? If you can locate it, I'm sure some readers, including myself, would be interested in reading it.
at 08:16 on November 5th, 2009
Yes, I will see if I can find it on the Gay news network, they are good at posting things of that nature. ;)
at 08:25 on November 5th, 2009
Thanks! Looking forward to it!:)
at 08:35 on November 5th, 2009
I'm not too surprised that a self-investigation came back "clean".
at 08:37 on November 5th, 2009
Really! And one very good reason to appoint independent investigators.
at 08:57 on November 5th, 2009
The gays say it was raided because it was gay, and to humiliate them, and I am beginning to agree with them............
at 09:01 on November 5th, 2009
Rhonda : Here is the official police statement released in the summer, but recall, this is in the context of many different views from the gays themselves, who all smelled a rat and felt like screaming:What do you think?: http://www.the33tv.com/news/kdaf-rainbow-lounge-fwpd-statement-story,0,1536646.story
at 19:30 on November 5th, 2009
Right off the bat -- see paragraphs one and two -- why didn't the Supervisor show up -- no inspection took place; why isn't the owner identified in the second paragraph? And, since when, does law enforcement "schedule" inspections?
at 10:20 on November 5th, 2009
I don't understand how they could be charged with 'intoxicated in a public place' if they were inside a privately owned establishment. That sounds fishy to me.
at 19:16 on November 5th, 2009
They were 'escorted' outside.
"He was escorted outside and arrested for public intoxication."
at 15:59 on November 5th, 2009
Its Fort Worth. It was probably motivated by prejudice. And of course a investigation by an agency into their own agents clears them of wrong doing.