GAY NIGHTCLUBS CLAIM POLICE HOMOPHOBIA
Gay nightclubs in Cape Town have claimed that police homophobia is behind a number of allegedly abusive raids on their venues.
The owners of Bronx and Navigaytion clubs, which are housed in the same building in Somerset Road, Green Point, say that they are the victims of a “police onslaught on gay venues.”
On a Facebook group titled “Homophobia amongst our police force“, the club owners claim that on August 24 seven police raided the venues with a search warrant and threatened to beat the DJ unless he switched off the music.
They further allege that the officers hit patrons and sprayed pepper spray in customers faces with no provocation.
“To my knowledge six customers were pepper sprayed and hit. They pushed customers down the stairs. They even pushed ladies making them fall on to the floor,” said a message on the group page.
The clubs specifically name Superintendent Coetzee and Captain Nathan, who they say are homophobic, as being behind the alleged harassment:
“Superintendent Coetzee is on a mission to close down one of Cape Town’s most important gay icons Bronx – Navigaytion. How sad that would be for our tourist industry – Cape Town being the 4th best gay destination in the world.”
It’s claimed that Coetzee regularly forces the clubs to close at 4am on the basis that their liquor license ends at this time. The owners of the two clubs however insist that they do stop selling alcohol at 4am and that they are legally allowed to continue to operate as long as alcohol is not sold.
“At 4am the venue is packed and everyone is there to have a good time. We don’t cause trouble, we just want have a patsy. What right does he have to tell us we have to go to bed at 4am? Is it because we are an easy target, why is it that certain straight clubs are allowed to stay open until 8- 9am.”
The owners have called on patrons who were allegedly harassed or assaulted by police at their venues to contact Dawid (dawid@navigaytion.co.za), Ari (ari@navigaytion.co.za) or Bruno (bruno@bronx.co.za).
Another reason to march!. Following the homophobic speech of The Sun newspaper a few weeks ago, this is just another reason for a largely apathetic LGBTI population to get up and march at Joburg Pride this year against hate. I think we”ve become too comfortable and inactive since same sex attraction/activities were decriminalised a few years ago. It won”t be long before homophobic groups begin to organise themselves against us (as is happening in the USA) to destroy what the now senior gay population fought so hard to achieve.
I say its time to march for "LOVE – NOT HATE".
Tide is turning. Can”t we read the writting on the &%^%$?" wall!!!!!!!!!!!!
The tide is turning against our community, and all we do is Love not Hate!!!!???!!!! Our rights are written on a piece of paper, that can be thrown away at any stage!!!!
If what this article says is happening, these clubs should install security cameras, record what is happening and charge the police with brutality. The police have rules to abide by too.
re:harrasment. Mobilize gay legal minds and paralyse the continued onslaught on our community.Utilize the media to highlight our plight..We want to have a festive season free from fear of persecution!!!
Stand your Ground Bruno&Ari. Dont they have anything better to do of protecting the streets against thiefts and murders?they alwasys tackle the Guy clubs 1st – its not on!!!they must suffer for a change and get booted!Fuck that – We in South Africa have come to far in the kast couple of years to let cops and people walk over us.We are not doing anything wrong apart from giving back to the cominity in our way – But do they see it?NO They Fucking DONT!!!
Im tired of this where we need to live in ou little gay box – Love not Hate!!!
Oops. Gay clubs not guy clubs – Blond moment there!!!
more than meets the eye!!!. dont be fooled by bronx”s little publicity stunt and press release!
The manager of the club (Ari) is always in trouble with the law! The club also does not understand the the law surrounding their liquor license.
Bronx and Navigaytion only have themselves to blame for this!!!!