I have just heard from a friend that neo nazis or some other racist group may be targeting gay bars in the Portland area – apparently someone may have gotten jumped by some homophobic thugs at CC Slaughters.
It’s not our intention to spread rumours, but tonight is a big going out night with Blow Pony, so for safety’s sake:
1.) Keep an eye out when you arrive/leave the venue.
2.)Stick to a group when leaving or arriving if you can. Be especially careful if you’ve had a drink or a few.
3.) Trust your gut – if something feels funny, do something. Call a friend, call the cops (i know, but in some circumstances, they are the best option), tell the barstaff, tell your friends.
4.) Stay out of dark areas as much as possible. Walk in the middle of the street. Drive, call a cab, instead of walking or catching the bus.
5.) Wait inside the venue or somewhere well lit if you are waiting for a ride or a cab.
6.) Keep your phone handy.
7.) Have fun anyway.
Be safe!
Portland Anti-Racist Action have not presently received any specific account of any gay-bashing attack by neo-Nazis that occurred this month. We have received second- and third- hand accounts which all been in the vein of the article above; the further from the source, the worse and more frequent the accounts become. We sourced ONE of these accounts, and found it to be a dead end. Unfortunately, we live in a world where such accounts are very much within the realm of possibility, and we applaud those taking smart steps to keep their community safe.
We encourage anyone who may have first-person information to contact us:
fight_them_back [at] riseup [dot] net
971.533.7832 (voicemail)
A popular SF bar in the Mission District just got hit too:
http://www.ktvu.com/news/23252219/detail.html
PLEASE!!! Pay close attention to #3 on the list.
TRUST YOUR GUT. Your stomach is sensitive to your environment. If it “feels” unsafe in your gut, trust that it may be. Use common sense. There is “safety in numbers” (#2).
When walking, walk tall and determined. Look like you know where you are headed and pay attention to your surroundings. If you think you should look over your shoulder, then do it!
I’m wondering if anyone decided not to go out based on this rumor? That seems very powerful and I’d be interested in that discussion.
Thanks, QPDX, for posting some safety measures.
I encourage anyone who has first-hand information about this situation to contact me as the Mayor’s LGBTQ liaison. I’ve asked Commissioner Saltzman’s office (as the Commissioner-in-charge of the Police Bureau) for any information they might have.
Clay Neal
503.823.4186
clay.neal@portlandoregon.gov
I’m the owner of CC Slaughters and I have not heard this nor has any of my staff. If someone left and got jumped from a club in PDX they need to inform us as well as the police. When crimes go un-reported rumors start or others are at risk.
thank you to everyone who has been commenting on this post! It’s important to make people aware of potential situations, while at the same time trying to disseminate fact from fiction.
We hope that if there was an attack, that it was a isolated incident. I have no further details of the incident that allegedly happened at/near/outside of/around CC’s, and as someone who has frequented CC’s in the past, I know that you have security staff posted at the doors who seem pretty thorough. I’m sure that CC’s has nothing to do with this as a venue.
I’m also thinking that if it had been a big incident, we would have heard more by now…
[…] Tomfoolery with Brent Pruitt10Portland Punk Rock Hero Beth Ditto's "most shocking" mag cover10Portland gay bars a neo-nazi target?8 7Pictures of Hot Men in Tighty Whities7'Queer Gaze' photography exhibition at […]