Fundraiser Brings in Money for Bar Raid Victim - Fort Worth, TX

A benefit held at the venue that made national news last week resulted in raising about $1,200 for Chad Gibson, the young man who fractured his skull in a police raid on gay bar recently. (Source: Todd Camp).

The June 28 raid at The Rainbow Lounge on Jennings in Fort Worth, TX happened to fall on the 40th anniversary of the famous New York Stonewall bar raids that set off the gay rights movement.

Gibson, 26, was among several victims of last month's police raid that first garnered local, then national attention as gay rights groups held rallies and a vigil as well as sent emails, letters, and made phone calls demanding justice. Gibson was hospitalized with bruises, strained muscles, and bleeding in his brain after he was arrested for public intoxication during the raid, according to the Dallas Morning News. (http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/dn/latestnews/stories/070709dnmetrainbow.13a0e378.html).

"Police initially said Gibson had injured himself when he fell and hit his head," stated the article. "The Fort Worth Police Department has suspended operations with TABC as it investigates the incident."

TABC has pulled both agents off the street while it looks into what happened, according to research.

Todd Camp, founder of Q Cinema, Fort Worth's Gay and Lesbian International Film Festival, was at the Rainbow Lounge on the night of June 28th celebrating his birthday when the raid occurred.

Randy Norman, general manager of The Rainbow Lounge, has said that he has complied with all TABC licensing and permitting requirements and there was no reason for the raid.

"Speaker after speaker (at a rally June 28) demanded an inquiry into the late-night raid," stated Domingo Ramirez, staff writer for The Fort Worth Star-Telegram. (http://www.star-telegram.com/804/story/1458523.html). "The rally lasted about 20 minutes."

Shortly after the raid, the Fort Worth Police Department issued a statement, saying that The Rainbow Lounge wasn't the only one targeted for TABC raids that night and that sexual orientation had nothing to do with what happened. The statement claimed that several patrons at this particular bar tried attacking or groping TABC officers and were unruly and publicly intoxicated.

Seven arrests were made that night at The Rainbow Lounge which had only been open a week at the time of the raid.

Only hours after the June 28 raid, a Facebook group was formed called "Rainbow Lounge Raid" for people to discuss the incident and gain support as well as raise awareness of and spread the word about the event.

In a July 1 statement, State Senator Wendy Davis and State Representative Lon Burnam said that they were requesting that an outside, objective investigation be launched regarding the TABC's actions involving the raid.

"Fort Worth City Council member Joel Burns told protestors he has requested that the police and liquor commission conduct an investigation into the conduct of the police officers and liquor agents on whether the Rainbow Lounge was singled out for harsher treatment than other establishments," stated washingtonblade.com.

To donate to "A fund for Chad Gibson," walk into any Frost Bank location in Texas and ask to make a donation to Q Cinema for the benefit of Chad Gibson (the donation is through Q Cinema in order to be tax deductible). The account number is 608439230.