Raid of the Rainbow Lounge Documentary Fundraiser - Dallas, TX

"Martini the Movie" screened in Dallas March 11 at LaGrange in Deep Ellum, serving as a benefit to raise money for the making of a documentary regarding last summer's raid on Fort Worth, Texas' Rainbow Lounge. (Source: Robert Camina).

Those who couldn't attend last night's screening can still make a donation through Paypal at
http://www.caminaentertainment.com/Site/Raid_of_the_Rainbow_Lounge.html.

On June 28 last year near the southside at 651 Jennings Street, the Rainbow Lounge, a gay bar, was raided on the legendary anniversary of Stonewall, the famous New York police raid that caused the national gay and lesbian community to fight against discrimination with regard to their sexual orientation on a global level.

Fort Worth City Councilman Joel Burns who serves in District 9 got involved after the raid of the Rainbow Lounge to assist in investigating some Texas Alcohol and Beverage Commission (TABC) officers' actions on that summer night. The result was the episode making national news, eventually resulting in the TABC chief apologizing months later and a report being issued stating that the officers acted in an improper fashion. A patron with a camera phone captured one of the TABC officers holding a customer down in a forceful fashion and the picture made national headlines.

The TABC officers involved in the raid maintained that some patrons they arrested were publicly intoxicated and that one tried to grope one of the officers. However, several customers of the lounge responded that there was no violence going on and they witnessed nothing but cooperation from the crowd.

June 29 Burns wrote a letter to the city manager and police chief of Fort Worth requesting that they immediately initiate an internal affairs investigating regarding the city's police action in coordination with the TABC.

"I wish to have comprehensive and conclusive information to respond to citizen requests regarding this matter as soon as possible," the correspondence stated.

That same day Burns drafted another letter to Chairman Tucker, asking that the Human Rights Commission initiate a review of the actions taken by the City of Fort Worth in coordination with the TABC. The communication stated that Burns wanted information as quickly as possible because the raid related to the Anti-Discrimination Ordinances of the town.

Then Burns sent a letter to the citizens which said: "I want all citizens of Texas and Fort Worth to know and be assured that the laws and ordinances of our great state and city will be applied fairly, equally, and without malice or selective enforcement. It is unfortunate that this incident occurred in Fort Worth and even more so to have occurred on the 40th anniversary of the Stonewall protests. Rest assured that neither the people of Fort Worth, nor the city governmet of Fort Worth, will tolerate discrimination against any of its citizens. Every Fort Worth citizen deserves to have questions around this incident answered and I am working aggressively toward that end."

On June 30 in Burns' mass email to citizens who had contacted him about the raid, he asked everyone who was a witness to the incident or knew someone who was and who wanted to report the account to call to aid the city's investigation.

"Like most of you, I love this great city, and am concerned about the unanswered questions surrounding this event," Burns wrote.

A committee was formed to reportedly further assure that this type of situation would not happen again after rallies were held in Fort Worth and Dallas protesting the raid and the subsequent injuries sustained by a patron, Chad Gibson, a man in his 20s who was hospitalized due to his injuries. A fundraiser was later held to assist him with medical expenses.

A week or so ago it was announced that the customers who were arrested in the raid would have to face a judge after all.