It’s too late for Atlanta, but might Seattle put an end to targeted raids of gay bars before dozens of patrons get shoved to the floor? Mayor Mike McGinn is looking into complaints that his city’s gay and lesbian bars are subjected to increased police scrutiny, and has ordered a data dump from the Code Compliance Team to find out whether there’s disproportionate attention being paid to our haunts. [photo via]
Kevin Farrell
The police absolutely have been targeting gay bars. It’s been big news in Seattle. The police have fined The Eagle for multiple infractions for showing…of all things…gay porn in a gay bar, while actual nudity and sexual incidents at straight bars throughout the city have resulted in mere warnings from the police. I’m happy to see Queerty picking up this story.
SammySeattle
It’s not so much the police as the Liquor Control Board who don’t seem to have clear procedures and aren’t really answerable to any particular authority other than themselves.
ForeverGay
Haterosexual police have been targeting gay people since there were police forces because haterosexuals support it and most gay people are too ignorant and too passive to say anything at least let alone do anything.
Waldo
No surprise.. into the late 70s the police sere shaking down gay bars for protection money. Old habits die hard.
Danny
Since many states have gay and lesbian bar associations (lawyers), start lining up the lawsuits, which many groups from all walks of life have had to use to stop unfair treatment by government.
jason
Gay porn should NOT be shown in a gay bar. A gay bar is for meeting people, not showing porn. If you want to show porn, do it in your house. The laws regarding public dissemination of pornography are strict, and rightly so.
If they showed “straight” porn in a straight bar, I would be equally affronted. Do it in your home, not a public venue.
Jeffree
@Waldo:
I believe there still were “quid pro quo” shakedowns as recently as 2007, at least in bars in smaller cities, & semirural areas. It’s all done with a wink, a nod & a handshake, but police tend to be less “intru.sive”in those areas when the owners “cooperate”.
PLAYS WELL WITH OTHERS
Where’s a bunch of angry drag queens when ya need them?? :p
Screaming Queen
HA HA HA! Now I’ve seen errrrything! Some durrrrrty queen is here defending the most disgusting place on capitol Hill. Soooooooo Funny! Don’t get me wrong, I’ve spent many nights there, Bareback Thursdays used to rock until DJ Tom Smith decided he was belle of the ball and entitled to grope everyone that came through there (ISSSSSH). Let’s face it, after Dave left the place went tits up, the addition of hard liquor failed to get the masses to return, and the “no smoking” ANYTHING in the backroom rule blows more than the queens down the block in sex alley. The five dollar cover for a chance to die in that firetrap on the weekends was the final insult, if you ignore the lack of concern for personal safety shown by the employees. You are not safe there, they will not protect you, period. It’s Thunderdome gurrrrrrls, accessorize accordingly!
As far as porn on the walls, tacky tacky tacky, some things just shouldn’t be shown on screens that big. Despite all the changes over the last ten years, the place remains a drug infested dump. However, if you’ve never seen 100+ rough looking leather queens and blue collar types clap in unison while screaching along to “Gypsies, Tramps, & Thieves” I highly recommend a weekend visit, it’s absolutely surreal. They do have a kickin’ sound system, Sleater-Kinney had their One Beat cd release party there years ago.
As far as Mayor McMumbles, he’s just a pandering ninny desperate to regain some credibility in this town, the man is a fat-assed progressive hypocrite of the first order, NEVER trust that chump. ;0)