"dancing without a permit"

that was actually one of the reasons given for the police raid on the eagle last night---i am pissed even though i never set foot in the place, mainly because i think it is part of an ongoing pattern of harassment by neighborhood vigilantes wanting to "clean up" midtown, which generally means getting rid of anything that is too black or too gay---i wrote the city council rep and got a reply in less than three hours, although she may be part of the problem----more here

From: tommyjones
To: Fauver, Anne
Sent: Fri Sep 11 16:12:00 2009
Subject: law enforcement

Dear Ms. Fauver:

As you are no doubt aware, the Atlanta Police Department conducted a raid of the Eagle, a gay bar on Ponce de Leon Avenue, yesterday. I am profoundly disturbed at the reports of the raid, especially the totally unacceptable treatment of patrons and staff alike by the APD. According to the source, the raid was either the result of a “noise complaint” or because there was dancing without a permit. Are you kidding me? Dancing without a permit? And if it was only a noise complaint, why then were the patrons and staff forced to the floor?

In my opinion, all of this is just a petty excuse to shut down a legal commercial establishment that a few self-appointed vigilantes in the neighborhood have decided to include in their ongoing campaign of harassment which they call “cleaning up Midtown.” They’ve tried, I hope unsuccessfully, the same thing with the SPI Club at 1021 Peachtree, a campaign that has had a disturbingly racist undertone. I don’t patronize the Eagle nor will I patronize the SPI Club, but as a Midtown resident who has lived in the city for over forty years, I think that this sort of harassment needs to be stopped.

The City and APD must show some discretion in responding to groups like the Midtown Ponce Security Alliance, whose overwrought rhetoric and puritanical approach to law enforcement does not represent the views of all or even a majority of Midtown residents.

Thank you.

her reply:

Tommy,

Major Williams is the superior over the APD unit that went to the Eagle. Major Williams is a good friend of our community.

She is investigating the incident and I know from experience that she is very thorough. Let's withhold judgment until we know more.

Thanks for your email.
Anne

She will keep you posted.
Anne