Subscribe to Breaking NewsWithers: Atlanta police step into it
I’m coming late to this, but here is a question: when is the Atlanta Police Department going to start firing people? As most of you know on September 10 there was a police raid at the Atlanta Eagle. According to authorities they invaded the bar because there were complaints of sexual activity. The tips were sent to the mayor’s office and Crime Stoppers. Why anyone would leave a tip of a crime at the office of the mayor is a tad bit sketchy, and Georgia Equality wants some answers from Mayor Shirley Franklin.The police are going to have to come up with answers also because the complaints filed by bar patrons—no one was arrested—show police officers who have no idea how to deal with the public. In the grievances officers are high-fiving each other like a they just scored a touchdown, loudly proclaiming how they are not fans of gays or gay sexuality.
The most bizarre charge is the detention of an Atlanta Eagle employee. He lives above the bar, wasn’t working the night of the raid, but the police pounded on his door anyway.
“He opened the door to two cops who asked if anyone was having sex there. They asked why there was a bed and he said it was because he lives there. He was made to come downstairs and was arrested with the other employees. He recalled hearing comments like ‘You people are despicable.’”
So having a bed in an apartment is now despicable. Glad that was straightened out.
The owners of the Atlanta Eagle are not going into the good night quietly. Here is their Facebook page and there is a rally this week-end. If you are in Atlanta throw them your support.
I’ve said it before, and I’ll repeat it: police misconduct, no matter who it happens to, is of supreme importance to gays and lesbians.
Thank You James.
The developing story is really more bizarre than fiction. You’ll find that there were reportedly 9 undercover cops, 12 uniformed police and 3 jail vans that responded. It was a Thursday night and there were just over 60 patrons int he bar. The dispatched the Red Dog unit to respond to this Raid. The Red Dog Unit deals with drugs and violent crimes in Atlanta. The APD Gay & Lesbian Liaison was not notified of the raid prior to the action. Had she been notified, much or many of the issues may have been able to be avoided.
But then, if there was an Officer there that was a Liaison; maybe they could not have acted the way they did.
This is a dark mark on a city that has one of the largest gay and lesbian populations in this country.
I’ve got an idea for everyone that could get better attention to the public: everyone should have the number of the local news station on their cell phone. If the police show up to the gay bar you’re at and start harassing people, call the news people and bring them there! Or if you can’t do that, get it on video. The police will not like the media attention!
ok, so police misconduct. Put some on admin leave, fire the worst offenders.
BUT if James is right about the person arrested in his apartment above the bar, this is much, much more than police misconduct. This requires civil lawsuits to make a loud point and i don’t care if the officers in question are bankrupted for the rest of their lives.
We must not tolerate misconduct by the police, in fact I’m surprised we do, I’ve seen it here focused on the poor community and it disgusts me.
But again, that particular arrest goes way beyond simple misconduct. That is criminal harassment. The atlanta community should be out in the hundreds of thousands breaking down doors at city hall over this.
Actually if I am not mistaken eight people were arrested I read somewhere that the charges were not told to them until they appeared in court. The police were looking for sex, then when they didn’t find anything they looked for drugs again nothing.
What I want to know is if they were watching the bar in May why they waited until now to act and then act without a warrant? I think one mistake the police made was that Pride is not until Halloween this year, should be interesting.
Police misconduct serves nobody, not even the police. I have known enough cops over the years to know that most are decent men and women. Rogue cops give them all a bad name.
I’ve followed this story since it first came to light and something really stinks about it. For example, local neighborhood associations have stated that they have a good relationship with the bar and have received no complaints. After keeping patrons face-down on the floor for over an hour, none were arrested; the bar was cited for having go-go dancers without a license. It goes on. Your mention of the employee was a new item to me and is no more acceptable or comprehensible than anything I’ve read thus far.
I was under the impression that the mayor was herself quite gay-friendly. Was I mistaken? From what I’ve read, her re-election HQ is located next to the Eagle.
Things simply don’t add up here.
Thanks for posting this… all GLBT in GA and in nearby states that can get involved in this might be well advised to do so. If it can happen here, as it also did in Ft. Worth, TX – it can happen in most any town. Why wait for it to happen to you? Better to cut this sh!t short NOW! Time for the people to stand up and confront this sick and discriminatory behavior.
Ugly! What’s the deal with raiding gay bars in major cities? I know that it’s only two cities, but that’s two too many, IMO, given the circumstances.