Yesterday during a Fort Worth city council meeting, Fort Worth Mayor Mike Moncrief apologized for the Stonewall-style raid of The Rainbow Lounge that left Chad Gibson hospitalized for several days:
About 250 people packed council chambers and another 150 watched on televisions in the hallway or overflow rooms as officials briefly discussed the June 28 joint raid by the Texas Alcohol Beverage Commission and the Fort Worth Police Department at the Rainbow Lounge.
Moncrief told the meeting neither the TABC nor police had finished investigations into the raid, which initially had been called a routine license inspection. But the mayor said he has asked the U.S. Attorney’s Office to review the department’s findings.
Someone in the audience then called out for an apology. “If you want an apology from the mayor of Fort Worth: I am sorry about what happened in Fort Worth,” Moncrief said, as the crowd erupted in applause and stood.
Seven gay activists were kicked out of the meeting after causing a disruption:
Seven protesters were removed from Tuesday night’s City Council meeting after they repeatedly demanded to be moved up on the agenda to speak about last month’s police raid at the Rainbow Lounge.
“Hear us now! Hear us now!” five men chanted in a hallway outside City Council chambers. The men, believed to be members of Queer LiberAction, a Dallas-based gay rights group, were led out of the building by city marshals.
And, Fort Worth Police Chief Jeff Halstead yesterday announced the appointment of Officer Sara Straten, a 17-year police veteran, as an interim liaison to the GLBT community while the department searches for a permanent liaison.
Comments
(Comments are moderated so there might be a slight delay in seeing the very first comment you post on AKA William. But once your first comment is validated, you'll be able to immediately see any subsequent comments you leave.)