'It was wrong': Toronto to remember 1981 bathhouse raids with plaque, mayor says | CBC News

"The plaque from Heritage Toronto will "salute" the community's courage, Mayor Olivia Chow told a news conference at The 519, a city agency located in Toronto's gay village. "The bathhouse raids were a horrid mistake and a serious stain on Toronto's reputation, a scar a community feels to this day, 45 years later," Chow said. "It was wrong. It was shameful. And we remember.""

"On Feb. 5, 1981, Toronto police armed with crowbars and sledgehammers raided four city bathhouses and arrested more than 250 gay men. Those who owned or worked in the bathhouses were charged with keeping a common bawdy house and patrons were charged with being found in a common bawdy house. More than 90 per cent of the charges were eventually dropped, and the raids galvanized members of Toronto's 2SLGBTQ+ community to fight for their rights and find a political voice."

"Allison Bain, executive director of Heritage Toronto, said she was one of the many thousands of people who took to the streets to protest the raids. "The plaque we're announcing today will ensure the bathhouse raids and its lessons are not forgotten," Bain said. According to Heritage Toronto, the plaque will be unveiled during Toronto's Pride festival in June."

Toronto will create a Heritage Toronto plaque to commemorate the Feb. 5, 1981 bathhouse raids and salute the 2SLGBTQ+ community's courage. Mayor Olivia Chow called the raids a horrid mistake, a serious stain on Toronto's reputation and a scar the community still feels, saying "It was wrong. It was shameful. And we remember." On Feb. 5, 1981 police used crowbars and sledgehammers to raid four bathhouses and arrested more than 250 gay men; owners and workers faced bawdy-house charges and most charges were later dropped. The raids galvanized political organizing and rights advocacy. Heritage Toronto plans to unveil the plaque during Pride in June. A news conference marking the anniversary was delayed as York Regional Police outlined serious charges against seven Toronto police officers and one retired officer, raising questions about police.

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