Yet more police terrorism: NYC gay bar raided during gay-marriage victory celebration.

[backscatter712]

Yes, I'm calling it terrorism. Violence or the threat of violence used to achieve political goals (in this case, opposition to gay rights, exercising domination over citizens...) Does anyone believe the horseshit story the NYPD is making up as an excuse for this shit?

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2011/06/26/988920/-NYC-Gay-Bar-Raided-During-Celebration-Of-Marriage-Equality-Vote?via=siderecent

The NYT reports, during the night of the passage of the now famous New York marriage equality bill, one of NYC's gay bars, The Eagle, was raided by city police. The "inspection" as the police are calling it, was unannounced, and, according to those present, more then 100 people were mingling at the Eagle, when representatives from the New York Police Department and three other city agencies showed up.

“I was on the roof deck, smoking a cigar and having drinks with friends, and all of a sudden, the police showed up and started shining flashlights in everyone’s face and offending everyone,” said Thomas J. Shevlin, a financial markets researcher and the treasurer of the Stonewall Democratic Club.

Along with flashlights being shined in people’s faces, lights were turned off, and patrons were forced to empty their pockets “without probable cause,” Mr. Shevlin said.

Robert Berk, 50, the owner of the Eagle, said on Saturday that the operation’s timing was “bad.” The officers and other agents began entering, unannounced, about 10:30 p.m., he said, and eventually numbered about 20. They were “aggressive, but polite” as they examined the premises, he said, adding that they went over paperwork and inspected items like the ice makers and the licenses of security guards.

[CarmanK]

1. Planned in advance, the commander used bad judgement!!

Sounds like a piece of bad luck for the NY city police and the Gay community. With all those police, the inspection was planned in advance. Bad timing, bad PR and bad for the community at large.

[Bucky]

2. It's oppression, not terrorism. There's a difference.

Please don't degrade the English language. It's the only one we've got.

[backscatter712]

7. What's the difference?

Terrorism is the use of violence or threat of violence to achieve political goals. In this case, the goal was to attack the human rights of the entire GLBT community and send a message that they're second-class citizens.

[Kolesar]

10. "degrade the English language" -- LOL

[Occulus]

27. "It's the only one we've got."

Bullshit. Just wanted to get that out of the way.

As to the terrorism angle, what is terrorism, exactly? I only ask because, even between entire governments, terrorism always seems to mean different things to different people.

Would you be willing to define the term for the rest of us, please? It seems we're all unclear on the subject.

[MrScorpio]

3. If this was some kind of pre-planned health/safety/fire/licensing inspection...

Couldn't they do it during the daytime when there weren't so many patrons present?

Looks like a royal bureaucratic fuck up to me.

[Chan790]

9. As I explained downthread...

these sorts of inspections almost never occur during the day. The secondary reason for doing them is to catch bars that are serving under-aged patrons and allowing drug-dealers to peddle inside the bar. They do them specifically during peak hours.

I do question why "this" bar on "this" night though. That is suspect.

[MrScorpio]

14. Point taken

Very suspicious indeed.

[LiberalAndProud]

12. And what does the contents of peoples' pockets have to do with any of that.

This was intimidation. Because they could.

[name not needed]

23. They were probably looking for drugs.

The NYPD has a thing for using trumped up narcotics charges to shut down bars and nightclubs

[name not needed]

25. This isn't a bureaucratic fuck up.

They've been doing this since Giuliani was in office.

[MrScorpio]

28. Jeez, that sucks, man

With that and stop and frisk, there is entirely too much police harassment going on in NYC

[monmouth]

4. They Mayor better make a very public statement and bring attention

to this ...

[October]

5. Best comment yet. /nt

[MadMaddie]

6. I wonder how many surprise inspections occurred at straight bars

in the same night? This was bullying and terrorism.

The police couldn't have visited during the day to check licensing etc?

[Chan790]

8. Bar inspections almost always occur at night...

something I learned from having a restauranteur as a brother. It's to make sure that security and bartenders are checking ID during the peak business hours and that illegal business like drug-dealing is not occuring. I have an issue with the choosing of this locale at this exact date but the day-timing itself isn't really suspect.

Day raids of bars OTOH usually indicate a suspicion of cover for an ongoing illegal enterprise like book-making.

[xchrom]

16. Serious autheratative link please.

Not just your assessment.

Without documentation - it's opinion.

[Chan790]

17. Nobody is going to officially document something like that...

it's not exactly a secret that "inspections" <<note the quotation marks>> (any "health inspection" that involves police officers is looking to catch them doing something else) don't take place in midday. They go when the people are there. When the health inspector comes to check "food safety", he comes in the afternoon with a clipboard and a tool-kit with things like cotton swabs and a thermometer, not officers of four government agencies.

Experience isn't opinion. It's a basis of assessment of situations and occurrences. Most bars in the city get this sort of visit from time-to-time, I just question why this bar on this night. It's suspect. (and I think your suspicions are right that this was targeted at the gay community.)

[Ruby the Liberal]

22. As annoying as it is during peak hours

inspectors ALWAYS target restaurants during peak, because thats when standards get sloppy. Like mentioned, looking for drug activity and underage drinking is a key, but it is SUPER frustrating to have the grill full, the kitchen in the weeds and some PITA inspector checking to see that cleaning products are being stored separately (or beneath) canned goods in the storage room.

Also as mentioned, why last night of all nights and why so many ppl? Unless this was following up on a whistleblower, consumer complaints or past failing reviews, this is suspect.

[bobburgster]

11. My initial reaction was...

"Oh come on OP!"

My mistake! After reading the article, it smelled real fishy. Their behavior was absolutely intimidation, their timing was bullshit, and their command to patrons to empty their pockets was NOT part of a health inspection.

K@R

[Ilsa]

13. Police doing food health inspections? Sounds like bullshit to me. nt

[KittyWampus]

18. it says police and "other agents". Why they'd have people empty pockets, I've no idea.

[tammywammy]

19. Looking for drugs possibly.

That's the only reason I can think of to ask the patrons to empty their pockets.

[Hosnon]

15. Fucking bullshit.

Call an attorney and look into harassment.

[TrogL]

20. Wasn't this one of the things going on at Stonewall?

[backscatter712]

26. One of them. Corrupt cops and the Mafia.

If you ran a gay bar (like Stonewall) in NYC in those days, you've got to pay the mob their protection money, or they pay the cops they have on the take to raid your place and bust your customers. Stonewall didn't pay their money. The corrupt cops raided them. The GLBT clients finally had enough of Goodfella/Bad Cop and started throwing punches. The rest is history.

[Dawson Leery]

21. Intimidation by thugs,

[name not needed]

24. This is standard operating procedure for the NYPD.

They do this every year during Pride Week. Raid a few clubs, arrest a couple people, collect their payoff, and let the club open again. Shit, even straight bars get the treatment this time of year.