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View Full Version : Are they still doing this chickenshet stuff in Texas?



Chuck Bao
7/17/2009, 05:08 PM
By that, I mean police going into bars and arresting intoxicated patrons.

Arrest all of them if they try to drive afterwards and I’m 100% on board for that.

This is an honest and hopefully useful question: what is the bar limit in Texas for public intoxication?

For the average Joe, how many beers?

This is an old article (June 28) from the Fort Worth Star-Telegram and, yes, it was a raid on a gay bar.

I still want to know how making sexually explicit movements in a gay bar factor into the public intoxication criteria? Pretty **** poor timing at the anniversary of Stonewall. It seems like a clear case of police harassment to me.

It still burns my *** that I couldn’t buy a few beers at a convenience store in Tarrant Co. after midnight to drink at DFW while I waited overnight for a check-in to a 6am flight. I have to be publicly ****ing intoxicated before I publicly ****ing get on a publicly ****ing flying plane. There is nothing sexually explicit in that.

I’m going to add Texas to the places in the world I will not live. Right now it stands at ALL muslim countries and the state of Texas.


Upset Fort Worth residents protest raid on gay nightclub
By DOMINGO RAMIREZ [email protected]

FORT WORTH -- A crowd of more than 100 protesters chanted "No more!" from the steps of the Tarrant County Courthouse Sunday evening as they demanded an investigation into a police raid earlier in the day at a gay night club.

One patron was seriously injured in the raid, several protesters said, as police used excessive force in making seven arrests. Police defended their actions.

Speaker after speaker demanded an inquiry into the late-night raid at the Rainbow Lounge on South Jennings Street.

"I was scared," patron Todd Camp said at the protest Sunday afternoon. "I have never seen anything like this in my life."

The rally lasted about 20 minutes. Some protesters then marched on Main Street, holding signs and waving flags.

A second protest is scheduled for 7 p.m. next Sunday at the Fort Worth Convention Center.

The raid happened to be on the 40th anniversary of the Stonewall riots in New York which began on the night of June 28, 1969, as a protest by gays against police harassment and helped trigger the modern U.S. gay rights movement.

"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," Fort Worth council member Joel Burns said Sunday in a prepared statement. "We are working together with our Mayor, Police Chief, the city of Fort Worth Human Relations Commission and our state legislative colleagues to get a complete and accurate account of what occurred."

Witnesses say that police arrived at the nightclub about 1 a.m. Sunday and arrested seven people and that one of those arrested suffered a fractured skull during the takedown and is at a Fort Worth hospital.

About 75 people showed up Sunday afternoon at the Rainbow Lounge to make signs for the rally. Some of the signs read: "Give us Answers Now" and "We Have Rights Too."

Fort Worth police released a statement saying that the Rainbow Lounge was not the only bar targeted by six Fort Worth police officers and two agents from the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission and a supervisor. The group first went to the Rosedale Saloon and Cowboy Palace on Rosedale Street. Nine people were arrested, police report.

The investigators then went to the Rainbow Lounge, where seven arrests were made, the police statement said. While walking through the Rainbow Lounge, an "extremely intoxicated patron made sexually explicit movements toward the police supervisor," the statement said. This individual was arrested for public intoxication.

Another intoxicated individual also made sexually explicit movements toward another officer, and he was arrested for public intoxication, the statement said. A third individual inside the lounge assaulted a TABC agent by grabbing the agent’s groin, according to the statement. He was escorted outside and arrested for public intoxication. He was released to paramedics because of his extreme intoxication as he was repeatedly vomiting, police reported.

While dealing with this suspect, another officer requested assistance from inside the club with an intoxicated patron who was resisting arrest. This person was placed on the ground to control and apprehend him, police reported.

Alcohol beverage code inspections are conducted frequently in Fort Worth to ensure safety, police reported. A thorough investigation into the allegations made is being conducted as all allegations against officers are investigated, police reported.

The general manager of the Rainbow Lounge and several patrons disputed the police account, saying officers used excessive force to make arrests.

"He was just walking to the bathroom when an officer grabbed him and shoved him against a wall and pulled his head back," said Chris Hightower of Fort Worth, a friend of the injured patron. "He (the injured man) was then thrown to the ground and three other officers were on him."

Several patrons claimed that the officers were never assaulted.

"I have friends who are cops and I know what to do when officers are working," Camp said. "No one was acting aggressive to officers."

Camp said that he has been attending bars for years in Fort Worth when TABC conducts raids.

"Usually, they're very orderly and respectful – they work with the bar staff and check IDs, it's quick and painless and then it's over and then they're out," Camp said. "This was not that. This was harassment, plain and simple."

General manager Randy Norman said the bar had just been open a week and they had complied with all ordinances.

"Officers just don't come in armed with zip ties and a paddy wagon for a routine check of a bar," Norman said.

(Staff writers Gene Trainor and Christopher Kelly contributed to this report.)

JLEW1818
7/17/2009, 06:11 PM
they claim 3 beers is suppose to be the limit (23 ounce beers)

from what I've heard......

I've always thought about this..... why does the restaurant not cut them off?

MojoRisen
7/17/2009, 06:39 PM
I firmly believe people should be able to smoke at the bar at the owner's discretion, provide preferred cab service and let people get drunk as long as they are behaving in an acceptable manner for the patrons.

Cops I belive way overstep boundries on the Public Intoxication stuff- they think everyone needs Alchy education and the behavior too me it is just a non jailable offense that gives money in a form of a fine. To me it is more like strong armed robbery.

No friggin way should they get overly physical and used a raid tactic. That is redicoulos.. Out here I scream entrapment big time - they just sit outside and wait for people to leave- and you can't argue if you are intoxicated and they are not even given breathalizers- just discretion.

There is always strength in numbers - you need witnesses to protect yourself these days.

StoopTroup
7/17/2009, 07:02 PM
I believe guys like Lid hang out there and call the Police to pick-up unsuspecting Patrons....once in jail they'll notice his card is posted in the phone bank area.

JLEW1818
7/17/2009, 07:03 PM
hhahahahahahaha

AlbqSooner
7/17/2009, 07:33 PM
I've always thought about this..... why does the restaurant not cut them off?

Revenue for the owner and tips for the employees. Prime causes for overpouring.

JLEW1818
7/17/2009, 07:40 PM
exactly!

and they could careless if you go kill yourself in your car, or kill somebody... from a business point of view.

JLEW1818
7/17/2009, 07:43 PM
I'd rather the Obama Administration go after something like this, instead of the gun control crap....

How many people a year die b/c of alcohol? compared to guns..

sure you can't control people drinking at home, and then going out.... but i tend to stay in once I'm drunk at home....(unless we lose to the horns, then i go and raise hell, and drive to Austin)

but it's all about money

stoopified
7/17/2009, 08:27 PM
Drink at home and avoid DU/PI issues.

MojoRisen
7/17/2009, 08:51 PM
I know a few good bars that are fighting back and getting my business - since I like the patronage. However drinking at home does prevent all the hassels.

Chuck Bao
7/17/2009, 08:52 PM
Drink at home and avoid DU/PI issues.

And post on the internet? On a Friday night?

And, Flag's and Olevet's drunkytown threads are really public service? Is that the way we are going?