Rainbow Lounge Raid

[unkoricky]

Hay Hay guyssssssssssss

FORT WORTH (CBSDFW.COM) - Nearly three years after a police raid at a Fort Worth gay bar, a new documentary is bringing the incident back into the spotlight. The documentary ‘Raid at the Rainbow Lounge’ premieres tonight in Sundance Square.

In 2009, officers from the Fort Worth Police Department, there without their supervisors’ knowledge, and agents with the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission (TABC) converged on the Rainbow Lounge and began making arrests.

Many of the patrons at the bar claimed excessive force was used. One man was sent to the hospital, in critical condition, with a head injury.

The film ‘Raid at the Rainbow Lounge’ recounts the events surrounding the widely publicized and controversial raid.

♦♦♦The trailer to the 103-minute film is available on YouYube♦♦♦

North Texas filmmaker Robert Camina interviewed dozens of people for the film, including police and Rainbow Lounge clientele at the club on the night of the raid.

In the film, one person interviewed said, “It was very clear from all the positioning of the Mayor and the Fort Worth police chief that they wanted nothing to do with what happened at the Rainbow Lounge. Our goal was to stand up for ourselves as a community.”

One bar patron described to Camina what happened after officers started to approach him. “He grabbed the guy in front of me, grabbed him by the shoulder and turned him around, told him that he was drunk, put him in zip tie handcuffs and then dragged him off in front of me,” he said.

The raid drew national attention and resulted in several changes within the City of Fort Worth – including the creation of a diversity task force aimed at improving the relationship with the gay-lesbian-bisexual and transgender community.

A Fort Worth police officer interviewed for the film said, “These are things that have all begun because of this incident.”

There was even more outrage in the GLBT community since the raid happened on the anniversary of New York’s Stonewall riots in 1969 – which some say marked the start of the gay rights movement in America.

Many of those interviewed told the Dallas filmmaker they still have fear because of what they witnessed at the Rainbow Lounge.

One man said, “I had never seen violence like that in person before.” Another man commented that, “Those officers took something from me that I may never get back. They took my safety and security and they had no right to do that.”

Several city leaders, witnesses to the raid and activists are expected to attend tonight’s premiere.

The documentary “Raid on the Rainbow Lounge” is opening to a sold out crowd at the AMC Theater in Sundance Square.

http://dfw.cbslocal.com/2012/03/15/rainbow-lounge-raid-documentary-premieres-in-fort-worth/

[Captain Crawfish]

silly faggots dicks are for chicks!

[Shorty]

One bar patron described to Camina what happened after officers started to approach him. “He grabbed the guy in front of me, grabbed him by the shoulder and turned him around, told him that he was drunk, put him in zip tie handcuffs and then dragged him off in front of me,” he said.

[SouthernSVT]

DETAILS AND SEQUENCE OF EVENTS LEADING TO A BAR CHECK AT THE RAINBOW LOUNGE:

On Thursday evening, June 6, 2009, a TABC Agent entered into NPD2 and teamed up with a patrol officer in order to conduct alcoholic beverage code inspections of area clubs. While they were out, they performed these inspections into the Friday morning hours. At approximately 10:00 p.m., Thursday evening, they stopped by the Rainbow Lounge located at 651 S. Jennings in anticipation of conducting an inspection as this club is newly opened and has not received an inspection before this date. While waiting on the supervisor to arrive, which is standard operating procedure, the owner of the Rainbow Lounge approached the officers asked if there was a problem. The TABC agent explained they were waiting on a patrol supervisor to make the scene before conducting an inspection of his establishment. An inspection at the Rainbow Lounge was not conducted on this date (Friday). Other locations, however, were inspected as a continuing effort to educate and enforce over serving alcohol to intoxicated individuals.

On Saturday morning, June 27, 2009, a person identifying himself as the owner of the Rainbow Lounge called the local police station and spoke with a supervisor to ascertain if there was a problem at the Rainbow Lounge. At approximately 3:30 p.m., a Fort Worth Police sergeant spoke with the owner of the Rainbow Lounge and explained they were conducting alcoholic beverage code inspections in the area. The owner advised the sergeant officers were welcome anytime to conduct an inspection of his establishment. The sergeant advised the owner of the Rainbow Lounge that officers would return to the area this evening to continue inspections and would inspect his establishment.

On Sunday morning, June 28, 2009, at 12:30 a.m., six (6) Fort Worth Police Officers, two (2) TABC agents and a supervisor conducted inspections at 160 W Rosedale (Rosedale Saloon and Cowboy Palace). This inspection resulted in nine (9) arrests. Once the inspection was completed at these locations, officers proceeded to the Rainbow Lounge.

Officers arrived at the Rainbow Lounge to conduct the scheduled inspection. Some officers remained outside while some entered the club. While walking through the Rainbow Lounge, an extremely intoxicated patron made sexually explicit movements toward the police supervisor. This individual was arrested for public intoxication. Another intoxicated individual also made sexually explicit movements towards another officer and he was arrested for public intoxication. A third individual inside the lounge assaulted the TABC agent by grabbing the TABC agent's groin. He was escorted outside and arrested for public intoxication. The decision was made to release him to paramedics due to his extreme intoxicated state as he was repeatedly vomiting. While dealing with this person, another officer requested assistance from inside the club as he had an intoxicated individual that was resisting arrest. This person was placed on the ground in an effort to control and apprehend. A total of seven (7) arrests were made from the Rainbow Lounge during this inspection. The total arrest count for the entire evening totaled 16.

Alcohol beverage code inspections are conducted frequently at establishments located within the city limits of Fort Worth. These are conducted in order to ensure a safe environment for all. A thorough internal investigation into the allegations made is being conducted as all allegations against officers are investigated.

...Sounds to me like a bunch of drunk idiots were sexually asaulting a couple of officers, and got what they deserved. Gay or not, you grab a cops junk, and you're going to get put down and arrested. The "raid" (actually a scheduled inspection) was known about by the owner in advance, and was being conducted on more bars than just the Rainbow Lounge. This bar just decided to pull the "we're being taken advantage of for being gay" card. Ignoring the fact that the exact same thing was happening at non-gay bars as well. The people at those bars were not injured because none of them were dumb enough to sexually assault any officers. I'm sure they fail to mention any of this in thier little video though.

[Broncojohnny]

And we all know the cops wouldn't make up a bunch of shit just to arrest some "faggots" because that never happens.

Arresting people for being drunk in a bar is something that belongs in a fucking police state, not a free country. Doesn't matter if you are gay or not. Calling it a "bar inspection" and calling yourself the "TABC" doesn't change that. If you don't think so then you are fucking delusional.

[SouthernSVT]

I agree that arresting people for being drunk in a bar is rediculous, but the point I was making is that they were not targeted for being gay like they're claiming. The cops were pulling the same shit at a different bar right before the Rainbow Lounge. It was bullshit that they were doing it at all, but if some guy grabbed my junk you can bet your ass I would rock that fucks world. They turned something that's unfair to everyone into "gay hating bullshit", as if they're more special than the people who were arrested at the other bar. I'm not trying to gay bash either. I hate it when any group turns something that everyone has to deal with into a "personal issue". This had nothing to do with them being gay or straight, but they turned it into a gay rights circus.

[01vnms4v]

silly faggots dicks are for chicks!

Lmao but so very true!