The calls usually come in at around 1 or 2 am. Sometimes its from a friend, or an anonymous text message, a missed call from an unlisted number. Soon enough the stories would fit the narrative – a gay establishment got raided, dozens were arrested. A litany of laws and ordinances were supposedly violated, from fire hazard ordinances, anti-prostitution laws, to archaic policies against vagrancy or public scandal. More information would trickle in – where the arrested men were brought, how many were being detained, who got hurt, or whether the raid was covered by the media.
If you’re lucky, some kindred souls who happen to be lawyers would still be up and about, and are willing to accompany you to the precinct, or at the very least give legal advice or assistance. If you’re not, you end up dealing with the police on your own. You just need to ask the right questions, negotiate calmly, and hope that once the police realize that they are being monitored, they’d relent and let everyone go. The most difficult part isn’t hiding your own anxiety and the thumping in your heart, or even the fear that you might do or say something that would worsen the situation; it is actually mustering the self-control that you need to contain your anger at the sight of abuse of power and degradation. Continue reading
