Gay party animals in
Orange County -- that bastion of white conservatism just south
of the Los Angeles melting pot -- are accusing cops of
discrimination after they busted up a popular bowling/disco
party.
Spin Tuesdays was a hit
for two months, bringing revelers to the Lucky Strikes Lanes in
Orange, where gays, lesbians, and straight friends would pitch
bowling balls while DJs spun pop music. But according to the
Los Angeles Times
, the event was shut down the week before last when O.C. cops
told Lucky Strike's management they could be ticketed, even
arrested, for allowing dancing, live entertainment, and outside
promotions without a permit. One of the party's promoters,
34-year-old Zach Moos, told the
Times
that other nights at the bowling alley were left alone, yet
this gay event was targeted.
Police are denying
discrimination, saying Spin Tuesdays was simply too
well-attended. There have been no complaints about the event
from locals, but police say the event attracts about 500
people, with a line usually snaking outside the bowling alley.
Gays and lesbians in the O.C. have recently found a dearth of
gay nightclub and bar options -- the famous Boom Boom Room in
Laguna Beach closed in 2007. And even though Orange County has
been immortalized in glamorous shows like
The OC, The Real Housewives of Orange County,
and
Laguna Beach
-- which introduced the world to Lauren Conrad, or LC, who went
on to fame in
The Hills
-- the county is still a bastion of conservatism, voting
handily for Proposition 8, the ballot initiative that banned
same-sex marriage in California.
Still, police say there
is no bias at play here. "They're a business, and we
want them to succeed," Orange Police sergeant Fred Lopez
told the
Times
.
Promoters are working
on finding another venue for the party.