On Sept 10, 2009 the Atlanta Police raided a gay bar known as the Atlanta Eagle.
A website has been created with full details: www.atlantaeagleraid.com
As a ex-police officer myself I must say several facts about this raid point to abuse of power.
For instance, in the official police report an officer states: "I participated in an undercover operation with the vice unit at 306 Ponce De Leon Ave NE at the Atlanta Eagle. This was the conclusion of a several week investigation..."
I find it quite odd they had time for a "several week investigation" but didn't have time to obtain a warrant.
The purpose of the raid was to investigate reports of lewd conduct and to make arrests for unlicensed adult entertainment, because the bar had four dancers in boxer-briefs.
The police entered the business, forced everyone to the floor, searched every one, confiscated identifications, entered everyone's name into the police computer and infringed upon decent american citizens' constitutional rights.
According to the patrons (a group which included several elderly men), police officers shoved people to the ground, threatened to hit them in the head with barstools, handcuffed people, made racist and anti-gay comments, and forced patrons to remain flat on the ground, with their faces against a floor covered in some areas with spilled beer and broken glass, even long after they had been searched and found to be unarmed.
This abuse of power went on for 2 hours.
None of the patrons were charged with any crime, and the only charges filed by the police related to the “unlicensed adult entertainment” that the officers originally raided the bar to investigate: The bar’s four dancers were charged with “dancing in underwear” without a permit, and four bar employees were charged with operating an adult entertainment establishment without a license. No drugs were found on anyone at the bar, and no-one was charged with indecent exposure, lewd conduct, or any other crime.
Read the complete story at AtlantaEagleRaid.com
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