A local gay leather club, the Eagle, was raided Thursday night by Atlanta police. No need to rehash the details, which you can find here and here and here. The raid was allegedly prompted by one or more neighborhood complaints of criminal activity.
Comparisons to Stonewall are plentiful and, unfortunately, probably justified. During the raid, patrons and employees were forced to lie on the ground while being frisked and questioned (and in many cases handcuffed). Some witnesses have reported anti-gay and racist slurs by police. As a result of the raid, eight employees were arrested for minor licensing violations. No drugs were found. To get the other side of the story, you can read the APD’s press statement here – but it probably won’t make you feel much better.
A community protest rally will be held Sunday from 5 to 8 pm at the Eagle. Here’s to a big turnout.
Read by Bea.
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