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NEWS
Montreal Gays and Lesbians
Protest Police Violence
Massive brutality brings unity and demands from activists
by Andrea K. Brown
Montreal—A brutal police raid on a pri
vate gay party, and ensuing violence against
those protesting the raid, has disparate ele
ments of the lesbian and gay community
here joining together to express their out
rage.
According to Montreal's Lesbians and
Gays Against Violence, a coalition formed
in response to the recent incidents of brutali
ty, law enforcement officers from Station 25
physically and verbally attacked approxi
mately 300 people at a private party, in the
early morning hours of July 15. Some 50
people were injured in the raid, and eight
were arrested for allegedly assaulting an
officer. Injuries included head wounds and
sprains, according to Boston's Gay
Community News.
About 900 demonstrators at a peaceful
sit-in later that day called for the police to
drop all charges against those arrested, con
duct an independent inquiry regarding the
incident, and provide lesbian/gay seats on
the Montreal Urban Community (MUC)
police force's Commission of Interracial and
Intercultural Affairs.
Aiered Hepworth
Montreal police attack a demonstrator
protesting earlier police violence at a
private gay party.
When the MUC did not fulfill its promise
to address demands by noon the following
day, 250 protesters staged a lunchtime kiss-
in at Station 25. Police, dressed in riot gear,
surrounded the protesters and then beat
them, in full view of bystanders and mem
bers of the press. In the attack, 70 were
injured and 48 arrested. The police reported
ly used clubs, and hit demonstrators on their
arms and abdomens.
Police later conceded that undue force
was used during the party raid, and that
there is a problem between the police and
the lesbian/gay community in Montreal.
Concrete promises of measures to address
this problem have yet to be made.
Most of the organized response to the
violence came out of ACT UP/Montreal,
including a July 29 demonstration, with
attendance of about 2,000. Lesbians and
Gays Against Violence (LGV) has now
taken over the organizing, and is keeping up
the pressure on public officials and the
MUC police force.
LGV has brought together "people of
diverse political perspectives," says Patrizia
Tavormina, one of the organizers of the
group. The effort even has some lesbian sep
aratists working with gay men, despite con
tinuing problems with sexism and a lack of
understanding of lesbian feminist politics,
according to Tavormina.
Older gay men are the one group with
out a substantial presence in the united
effort, says Michael Hendricks, press coor
dinator with LGV. Further, Hendricks is
unhappy with the city for addressing itself
only to the Coalition for Sexual Minorities,
which he claims is made up of older gay
men'"who want to be recognized by power,
and try to present themselves as legitimate
representatives of the community."
LGV representatives went to the open
ing session of the City Council on August
13 to question the Councillors and the
Mayor about their lack of attention and
response to the lesbian and gay community
on the question of police brutality.
"They said they're waiting for the police
report to be complete—then something will
be done. They're trying to wait until it blows
over," commented Hendricks.
But LGV does not intend to let things
blow over. One avenue of action under con
sideration is a public hearing on the question
with the Public Security Commission. PSC
head, Lia Couzineau, seems to at least be
"taking responsibility" for what happened,
says Tavormina.
Of immediate focus is getting representa
tion—one seat for a lesbian, one for a gay
man—on MUC's Commission of Interracial
and Intercultural Affairs. The Commission is
having its symposium on intercultural rela
tions September 16-18. Tavormina believes
"this conference should be a turning point on
where LGV and the police force stand."
Tavormina feels there is "a good chance
to get representation on the panel," but adds
that if seats are not created for lesbian and
gay representatives, there are plans for fur
ther demonstrations.
Gay Crimes Reported to be
on Eldrin Bell’s Agenda
Metro bias incidents continue
Atlanta—It's no secret that lesbian and
gay activists have worries about newly cho
sen police Commissioner Eldrin Bell's wide
ly rumored homophobia and roughshod
enforcement methods. But Bell's statement
that he would be "sensitive to addressing
crime against the citizens of our gay com
munity" has activists holding their tongues.
Several weeks prior to the announcement
of Bell's appointment, members of the
Mayor’s Senior Advisor group reported that
Mr. Jackson assured them that he had raised
the issue of gay and lesbian concerns with
all of the candidates for the Police Chief
post. Jackson assured the advisors that all
the candidates had voiced a willingness to
have openly gay/lesbian officers on the
force.
Within days after his appointment, Bell's
background was the center of a controversy.
A Georgia Bureau of Investigations report
that, according to the Mayor, "did not pro
duce anything new" on Bell was not
reviewed by City Council members prior to
their giving unanimous approval to Bell's
appointment.
■ ■■
Bias crimes in metro Atlanta continue
unabated. Since last issue the Police
Advisory Committee has received reports of
10 bias incidents according to chair, Cathy
Woolard.
The preponderance of these incidents
have occurred in the area bordered by 10th
and 14th Streets between Peachtree and
Monroe where groups of men have been
attacking gay men in the early morning
hours.
"Walking alone, or even in groups, (in the
early morning hours) in this area is a really
bad idea," warns Woolard. "Call a cab or get
a friend to take you home."
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