Atlanta Police sued for mistreating, detaining all Eagle bar patrons during fake drug & sex raid
”Imagine if the police walked into a Wal-Mart and see someone shoplifting, and because they see what they think is a crime taking place in Wal-Mart, they take everyone at Wal-Mart, throw them on the floor, spread their legs, put their hands in their pockets, take their IDs, put their name in the computer, simply because they’re out of place or someone else may or may not be doing something wrong.”
Daniel Grossman, co-counsel with Lambda Legal, regarding a lawsuit that they have filed against the Atlanta, GA police department for raiding the Eagle, a gay men’s bar, this past September 10. Police alleged they were tipped off by a complaint from the surrounding community that there was drugs and illicit sex happening at the bar. Undercover officers were joined by uniformed officers for the raid, and it is reported that every member of the staff and all of the patrons were forced to the bars floor and searched for drugs (none were found), and police are said to have arrested four men for “wearing underwear” and “dancing” without a license. Police now say that such actions are standard procedure during a raid, but plaintiffs in the suit allege that “standard” was made up a month after the fruitless raid occurred. (CNN)
”The illegal activity going on in the Atlanta Eagle that night was committed by the APD. If it is APD procedure for elderly men and wounded veterans to be thrown to the floor and harassed simply for being in a bar having a drink after work, then the APD should change its procedures.”
Greg Nevins in a a statement released from Lambda Legal, the gay rights legal group which is suing the Atlanta police for a ham-fisted raid of the Eagle bar. No drugs or illegal sexual activity was found or observed which was the alleged reason for the raid and the harassment and detaining of bar patrons and staff. (Lambda Legal)
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