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DFW Gay Community Upset After Reported Bar Raid

By Selena Hernandez

FORT WORTH (CBS 11 News) — Members of the North Texas gay community are angry and they want answers. News of a raid Saturday Night of the Rainbow Lounge night club on South Jennings Avenue has sparked an outcry.

Images posted on the Dallas Voice website have generated strong emotions from the community.

Fort Worth police say early Sunday morning members of their department, along with 2 officers from the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission conducted a raid at the brand new bar near downtown fort worth.

Police say seven people were arrested for public intoxication and at least a dozen more were restrained. The incident was captured on camera and posted on local blogs. The scene was topic of conversation at Sunday's Million Gay March in Dallas, and the Cathedral of Hope in Dallas released a statement following its Sunday morning worship services.

"After more than a generation of progress, this action shows that there is still much work to be done to ensure that all Americans enjoy 'equal protection under the law.' It is tragic that lesbian and gay taxpayers are still abused by the very people who are paid by our taxes."

The community is upset because the raid happened on the 40 years anniversary of the "Stonewall raid." That raid, of a New York bar, is said to have launched the gay and lesbian civil rights movement.

Raymond Gill was at the bar early Sunday morning. He says one of the TABC officers targeted him. "I asked him why I was pulled outside. He stated it was because the way I was walking. He said I looked like I was drunk. But as I stated, I got to the bar 30 minutes before they got there. I sat down had not got up before police got there. No one saw me walk."

On the steps of the Tarrant County Courthouse, on the exact day that sparked the gay and lesbian civil rights movement 40 years ago, the gay community of North Texas gathered to once again rally for their rights.

"Everyone was just rattled by this, and scared. It's just not something I expected to see in 2009," witness Todd Camp said.

Camp was among several others inside the Rainbow Lounge, when Fort worth Police, along with the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission conducted a bar check just after midnight.

"I've worked in gay bars in four different counties in Texas, I've never seen anything this aggressive," club bouncer Justin McCarty said.

Fort Worth police arrested seven people for reported public intoxication, and for reportedly inappropriately groping an officer. It's an allegation witness Chuck Potter disputes.

"I can guarantee there wasn't a man in this bar that would've touched one of those officers, knowing they were arresting people."

"Rest assured the people of Fort Worth, or the government of Fort Worth -- will not tolerate discrimination against any of its citizens," Fort Worth Councilman Joel Burns said. He's now calling for accountability.

The incident left a man hospitalized with a head injury. Meanwhile Fort Worth police say the club was just one of several inspected late Saturday night. In a statement, police say the department is conducting a thorough internal investigation into the allegations, as well as the allegations against the officer.