Lolita Wolf's Predictions & Predilections

On September 10th, the Atlanta Eagle was raided by local police who used excessive force and voiced anti-gay slurs while handcuffing 62 patrons and 8 employees, forcing them to lie face-down on the floor for over an hour. The strong use of force included the presence of the “Red Dog unit” which typically deals with crimes such as gang violence.

Atlanta Police Chief Richard Pennington held a press conference yesterday afternoon stating that the gay leather bar was raided because of anonymous complaints that came through the mayor’s office. One undercover officer stated in a September 11th report following the raid that it was the “conclusion of a several week investigation involving indecency and the club was providing adult entertainment without the proper permits to do so.”

“It’s a clear violation of the civil rights of those who were detained without cause,” says Susan Wright, NCSF Spokesperson. “Instead of making an arrest at the time of the alleged offense, the Atlanta vice squad spent many hundreds of thousands of dollars in taxpayer’s money to raid the gay leather bar and persecute Atlanta citizens.”

NCSF demands a full probe into the alleged misconduct and the allocation of resources by the Atlanta police department. NCSF also joins state and local representatives in urging anyone present the night of the arrests to step forward and file a formal complaint. Please contact NCSF for additional assistance to ensure that this matter is investigated in an open process.

A rally on Sunday at the Eagle drew a large presence in support of the victims by the LGBT community. Another rally is tentatively scheduled for Saturday, September 19, 2009.