07/16/2009
Drunk Man's Arrest Reason for Violent Gay Bar Raid in Fort Worth?
Did the two-days-prior arrest of a man for public intoxication outside the Rainbow Lounge in Fort Worth inspire the violent police raid that left a bar patron in the hospital with a head injury? That's what the AP is suggesting, based on a police report.
News 8 broadcast what they say is new footage of a man arrested two days prior in the back of a police cruiser. They report:
"According to police records, a cruiser video showed a man arrested for public intoxication two days before the controversial raid. In a police report, officers said they saw the man leave the lounge very intoxicated earlier in the evening and told him to get a ride. That weekend, officers returned to the lounge with TABC officers for a bar check. A police radio recording revealed that an officer called for help after they went inside the Rainbow Lounge. 'I need help in here,' he could be heard saying. 'I'm by the restroom.' That call came when officers said a customer blew a kiss at the officer, and then struggled with police as they tried to arrest him. The customer told News 8 his arm was injured. In police records, officers also said a woman's hips touched an officer in a sexually explicit way. The reports also said Gibson tapped an officer's genitals. '[It] didn't happen,' Gibson said. 'It's a big lie.'"
In related news, I reported yesterday that Fort Worth Mayor Mike Moncrief apologized for the raid on the club. Moncrief later clarified his remarks. His apology was for the injuries Gibson sustained and not for the raid itself.
And city officials plan to ask the U.S. Attorney's office to expand its role in determining what happened at the raid.
Posted 11:00 AM EST by Andy Towle in Fort Worth, Gay Bar, Law Enforcement, News | Permalink
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AP, Mayor, and Police = the heterosexual run around. The raid was an attack on gay people.
Posted by: Bill | Jul 16, 2009 11:29:37 AM
Oh those crazy gays and lesbians with their sultry air-kisses, their voracious hips and wandering hands! No wonder this poor defenseless POLICE OFFICER had to call for backup! I wouldn't do it from near the restroom though--Lord knows what happens in there!
Seriously--this is such ridiculous and nonsensical string of lies, I'm amazed anyone could listen to it with a straight (ahem) face. They clearly never expected to be accountable for their behaviour that night, or else they would have come up with something a little more credible.
Posted by: David D. | Jul 16, 2009 11:34:34 AM
Unless someone can verify the true LAT/LON of the bar to say that is where the video tape was actually recorded, and I would like to see the entire part were they put the guy in, was it really from the bar.
And how they keep changing the story on the whole touching thing, first it was them getting touched 3 times before getting to the bar, and then another story, now they sya Gibson did it. UM, how many times have you bumped into someone in a restroom coming in or going out, or nearly bumped. I can see maybe Gibson coming out of the restroom and bumping into a cop, but to say he did it on purpose and "tapped" down there, COME ON... if your going to lie, at least keep with the same story.
NOW, they lie about it was not phone calls from people to prompt a raid, now it is a PI 2 days before hand???
And love how they still are saying that one photo is still only TABC and not 2 TABC and 2 FW cops on Gibson... TABC must be mutant to work there I guess...
Posted by: Hawk | Jul 16, 2009 2:31:55 PM
Am I the only one who's completely perplexed about what criteria the police use - ever - to justify a "raid" and what a "raid" is supposed to accomplish even in justified circumstances?
I mean, a guy leaves a bar drunk and so they need a "raid?"
Posted by: Alan | Jul 16, 2009 2:40:02 PM
Just goes to show you, sometimes when you think a place (or entire state) is backwater.. sometimes you're right.
Posted by: BlackRabbit | Jul 16, 2009 3:25:21 PM
Anytime I ever saw the cops come into a bar- the lights went up...and everyone just stood there till they left. We get no respect from them - and we got no time for them.
There ain't no fag - drunk or otherwise - going to slide over to Mr. Real Cop and ping his pecker in front of the whole bar. Ain't none of us that stupid.
Obviously something did happen. And that air kiss won't stand up in court - unless the jerk tries to use the gay panic defense - which will then place his nuts on FW's HR desk.
Posted by: mark | Jul 16, 2009 7:02:46 PM