Petrelis Files

Feb 14 Gay Sex Arrests Protest

at Bloomberg's Home

Gays in the New York City area are urged to make it to this important demo. Bloomberg's cops have been targeting consenting males in sex venues for false arrests and a lot of pissed off sex activists and civil libertarians will be there. You should be too. There's been far too little gay focus on sexual freedom issues for way too long a time.

Like millions of gays and our allies, I've been in the streets demanding marriage equality, but I can't think of the last occasion when I stood up for sexual liberties. And make no mistake about it: Gay sex in NYC is under surveillance and sexual happiness is on my gay agenda.

How about your gay agenda? Does it include getting up off our knee pads and standing up for the right to pursue sex in a public venue without police entrapment? I sure hope so.

If you're in Manhattan on Valentine's Day, stop by Mike Bloomberg's home and join in solidarity with all the other fine people who'll be there.

Here's the info from the official flyer:

Mayor Bloomberg:
Stop the False Arrests of Gay Men for Prostitution!

DEMONSTRATE!

Where: 17 East 79th Street

When: Saturday, February 14, 2009

Time: 12 Noon – 1 PM

In an overzealous and illegal effort to close down adult video stores in Manhattan, the New York Police Department has been found to be engaging in the false arrests of gay male patrons of these stores, charging them with prostitution. The cops then cite the establishments for condoning illegal activity and the City sues to shut them down as public nuisances.

Scores of innocent men have been swept up in these false arrests, documented in the Gay City News. Young undercover cops go up to middle-aged gay men, cruise them, ask for consensual sex, and then offer to pay the older men to have sex with them. Though none of the men agree to the offer, they are then arrested by a gang of undercover cops and put through the system. None of the men have prior arrests. And while only 17% of male prostitutes arrested Citywide are over 40 years old, 66 percent of the men arrested at these targeted video stores are. The legitimacy of these arrests is inconceivable.

These false arrests have been condemned by City Council Speaker Christine Quinn, Council Member Rosie Mendez and State Senator Tom Duane. Mayor Bloomberg must put a stop to these arrests now and bring the rogue cops engaging in these crimes to justice.

WE DEMAND:

1. MAYOR BLOOMBERG: Stop the false arrests of gay men for prostitution now!

2. GOVERNOR PATERSON: Appoint a special prosecutor to investigate these crimes by the police.

3. The Mayor, Police Commissioner Kelly and District Attorney Morgenthau must sit down with gay groups and individuals now to get to the bottom of this outrage and stop the arrests now!

Sponsored by the Coalition to Stop the Arrests

For more information call Robert Pinter at 212-674-3495, or send email to: stopthearrests (at) aol (dot) com.