#YourYongeStreet – The Bathhouse Raids of 1981
A panel discussion
Thursday, November 21, 2013
6:30 pm
Toronto Public Library – Yorkville branch
22 Yorkville Ave., Toronto
More than 300 innocent men were arrested on February 5, 1981 in massive police raids on Toronto’s gay bathhouses. Former Body Politic journalist Ed Jackson, York historian Tom Hooper and Dennis Findlay, who represented many of those arrested in court, talk about the raids and the protests that followed.
About the panelists:
Ed Jackson (Journalist) worked at the Body Politic. He was at the Body Politic office on the night of the raids when they received the call informing them about this incident. He and other members of the Body Politic then proceeded to the different bathhouses to document the raid.
Tom Hooper (Historian) is a York University researcher doing a dissertation on the Bath House Raids and Gay Court Watch. His research into this event investigates how men who were having sex with men in private had their lives invaded by the police and the state.
Dennis Findlay (Activist) was at the demonstration the night following the raids and attended the community organizing meeting of the Right To Privacy Committee, who eventually attended about 85% of the trials of the keepers and found-ins, and successfully defended 12 of those accused.
More information about #YourYongeStreet here: http://torontopubliclibrary.ca/youryongestreet