FORT WORTH, TX— The Fort Worth Police Department along with agents of the Texas Alcoholic Beverages Commission(TABC), early Sunday morning, raided a Fort Worth, Texas gay bar. Newspaper accounts have said that seven people were arrested in the raid although witnesses at the scene said many more people were handcuffed with zip ties and taken out of the bar.
One man, identified by his sister as Chad Gibson, was in the intensive care unit at a Fort Worth’s hospital with head trauma after officers threw him to the ground and used zip-ties to handcuff him.
Eyewitnesses to that incident said Gibson, did not resist arrest but that he did stumble after the first officer grabbed his arm.
The raid happened on June 28, the 40th anniversary of the New York City Stonewall riots.
Almost 200 people gathered Monday at a rally organized to protest the police actions on the steps of the Tarrant County Courthouse.
Joel Burns, an openly gay member of the Fort Worth City Council told the assembled:
"We want all citizens of Texas and Fort Worth to know and be assured that the laws of ordinances of our great state and city will be applied fairly, equally and without malice or selective enforcement,” Burns said at the rally, reading from a prepared statement.
"We consider this to be part of ‘The Fort Worth Way’ here. As elected representatives of the city of Fort Worth, we are calling for an immediate and thorough investigation of the actions of the city of Fort Worth police and Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission in relation to the incident at the Rainbow Lounge earlier this morning"
Noting that the rainbow Lounge raid came on the 40th anniversary of the Stonewall Rebellion, Burns said at the rally, “Unlike 40 years ago, though, the people of this community have elective representation that will make sure our government is accountable and that the rights of all its citizens are protected."
The Dallas Voice reports that Burns is working with Fort Worth Mayor Mike Moncrief, the Fort Worth Human Relations Commission and “our state legislative colleagues” to get “a complete and accurate accounting of what occurred.”
Burns added, “Rest assured that neither the people of Fort Worth, nor the city government of Fort Worth, will tolerate discrimination against any of its citizens. And known that the GLBT community is an integral part of the economic and cultural life of Fort Worth.
Fort Worth police maintain that Rainbow Lounge was one of three bars targeted by six Fort Worth police officers and two TABC agents and a supervisor.
"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."
The police statement indicated that nine people were arrested at the first two bars the Rosedale Saloon and Cowboy Palace, seven people were arrested at Rainbow Lounge.
Rainbow Lounge owner J.R. Schrock told The Dallas Voice that the claims that patrons made sexual advances to the officers and that one patron groped an officer were lies. "The groping of the police officer, really? We’re gay, but we’re not dumb"
—Tim Moran
