Rainbow Lounge raid
Encyclopedia
The Rainbow Lounge raid occurred in the early morning hours of June 28, 2009, at the Rainbow Lounge, a newly opened gay bar
in Fort Worth, Texas
. The raid was carried out by members of the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission
(TABC) and the Fort Worth Police Department. Several customers were arrested for public intoxication and one customer, Chad Gibson, received a severe head and brain injury while in custody. The police also claimed the customers made sexual advances and contact with them. Other customers were detained and later released without arrest.
In response to this incident, several of the witnesses in the bar that evening, including Todd Camp, the artistic director of the local gay and lesbian film festival, began a grassroots awareness campaign with the launch of the informational Facebook page "Rainbow Lounge Raid." Over the next several weeks, the page's membership grew to nearly 15,000. Several local organizers planned a protest on the steps of the Tarrant County Courthouse the next afternoon. The Dallas-based LGBT rights
group Queer Liberaction
organized a candlelight vigil for the victim, a Milk Box event, and a later more formal protest.
It has been of particular interest to the media that the raid took place on the 40th anniversary of the Stonewall Riots
, a notable raid of a gay bar which prompted the modern gay rights movement. The address of the club, 651 South Jennings Avenue, is a classic location of gay bars in Fort Worth.
fired 3 individuals and disciplined two others. The agency also completed some previously scheduled changes including increased cultural diversity training.
A separate "Use of Force" investigation determined that two charges: (a) "that the Rainbow Lounge was targeted for being a gay bar", and (b) that TABC officers "used force beyond what was necessary and reasonable", were both unfounded. However, TABC Administrator Alan Steen announced that "TABC's five regional Educational Liaisons are being re-named Community Liaisons, and will be tasked with reaching out to diverse community groups including GLBT organizations as well as associations representing racial, ethnic and religious minorities." Steen also appointed TABC's Director of Communications and Governmental Relations as the agency's liaison to the GLBT community "in an effort to improve communication around the state."
Gay bar
A gay bar is a drinking establishment that caters to an exclusively or predominantly gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender clientele; the term gay is used as a broadly inclusive concept for LGBT and queer communities...
in Fort Worth, Texas
Fort Worth, Texas
Fort Worth is the 16th-largest city in the United States of America and the fifth-largest city in the state of Texas. Located in North Central Texas, just southeast of the Texas Panhandle, the city is a cultural gateway into the American West and covers nearly in Tarrant, Parker, Denton, and...
. The raid was carried out by members of the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission
Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission
The Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission was created in 1935. The TABC has the task of inspecting, supervising and regulating every phase of business related to alcoholic beverages...
(TABC) and the Fort Worth Police Department. Several customers were arrested for public intoxication and one customer, Chad Gibson, received a severe head and brain injury while in custody. The police also claimed the customers made sexual advances and contact with them. Other customers were detained and later released without arrest.
In response to this incident, several of the witnesses in the bar that evening, including Todd Camp, the artistic director of the local gay and lesbian film festival, began a grassroots awareness campaign with the launch of the informational Facebook page "Rainbow Lounge Raid." Over the next several weeks, the page's membership grew to nearly 15,000. Several local organizers planned a protest on the steps of the Tarrant County Courthouse the next afternoon. The Dallas-based LGBT rights
LGBT social movements
Lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender social movements share inter-related goals of social acceptance of sexual and gender minorities. Lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people and their allies have a long history of campaigning for what is generally called LGBT rights, also called gay...
group Queer Liberaction
Queer Liberaction
Queer Liberaction is a Dallas–Fort Worth, Texas-based grassroots organization advocating for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender rights...
organized a candlelight vigil for the victim, a Milk Box event, and a later more formal protest.
It has been of particular interest to the media that the raid took place on the 40th anniversary of the Stonewall Riots
Stonewall riots
The Stonewall riots were a series of spontaneous, violent demonstrations against a police raid that took place in the early morning hours of June 28, 1969, at the Stonewall Inn, in the Greenwich Village neighborhood of New York City...
, a notable raid of a gay bar which prompted the modern gay rights movement. The address of the club, 651 South Jennings Avenue, is a classic location of gay bars in Fort Worth.
City's response
At the City of Fort Worth's first council meeting since the Rainbow Lounge Raid, and after an attendee of the meeting called out for an apology, the Mayor apologized for the events at the Rainbow Lounge. The next day after the apology was reported nationally and internationally, the Mayor said the apology was taken out of context and that he was referring to the injury not the actual raid.State response
As a result of the raid, the Texas Alcoholic Beverage CommissionTexas Alcoholic Beverage Commission
The Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission was created in 1935. The TABC has the task of inspecting, supervising and regulating every phase of business related to alcoholic beverages...
fired 3 individuals and disciplined two others. The agency also completed some previously scheduled changes including increased cultural diversity training.
A separate "Use of Force" investigation determined that two charges: (a) "that the Rainbow Lounge was targeted for being a gay bar", and (b) that TABC officers "used force beyond what was necessary and reasonable", were both unfounded. However, TABC Administrator Alan Steen announced that "TABC's five regional Educational Liaisons are being re-named Community Liaisons, and will be tasked with reaching out to diverse community groups including GLBT organizations as well as associations representing racial, ethnic and religious minorities." Steen also appointed TABC's Director of Communications and Governmental Relations as the agency's liaison to the GLBT community "in an effort to improve communication around the state."
See also
- Stonewall riotsStonewall riotsThe Stonewall riots were a series of spontaneous, violent demonstrations against a police raid that took place in the early morning hours of June 28, 1969, at the Stonewall Inn, in the Greenwich Village neighborhood of New York City...
- LGBT rights in TexasLGBT rights in TexasFew rights for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender residents exist in Texas at the state level. LGBT persons in Texas face legal challenges and discrimination not experienced by non-LGBT residents.-Laws regarding same-sex sexual activity:...
External links
- Dallas Voice Texas news section
- TABC and FWPD Joint Inspections Result in Multiple Arrests — official Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission website
- Instant Tea — weblog hosted by the Dallas Voice newspaper, includes updates on the incident and protests