A heavy-handed police raid at a Pittsburgh gay bar Friday night is stirring powerful echoes of Stonewall for many in the LGBTQ community. According to Q Burgh, P Town Bar — a well-known queer establishment — was “raided” by approximately 20 Pennsylvania State Police officers and undercover agents during a drag performance.
Around 11:30 p.m., roughly 70 patrons were forced out into the street while police conducted an unspecified inspection inside. Officers offered no explanation at the time and have not responded to media inquiries about why the raid occurred. While some Facebook users noted that three other non-LGBTQ bars in the city were also raided that night, the aggressive police presence at a queer space — particularly during a drag show — feels deeply familiar to many who remember or have studied the 1969 raid on the Stonewall Inn, an event that sparked the modern queer rights movement.
However, P Town Bar has posted a message on Facebook to reassure the community: “Hi everyone! (For now just a short post) I’m sure yall heard about the unfortunate situation last night, however, we want to assure you we are OPEN for business and remain steadfast in our promise to provide a safe and welcoming space to our LGBTQ+ community!!!! So come on in, have a drink or 3 and enjoy the night!”
