Tasty nightclub raid
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The Tasty nightclub raid refers to an August 7, 1994 incident at the Tasty nightclub held at the Commercial Club in Flinders Lane, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. All up, 463 patrons were strip searched by police wearing rubber gloves and carrying guns.
Two people were arrested for minor drug offenses.
The forced strip search was particularly humiliating for the transgender patrons. Full nudity was required and the search was performed in public view.
The incident led to successful legal action against the Victoria Police force with damages of well over AUD$10,000,000 awarded to the patrons. The class action was run by Gary Singer who went on to become a councilor for the City of Melbourne.
In retrospect it has become a historic and legal precedent limiting the powers of police search in Victoria.
The Herald Sun published a photograph of the scene on their front page, causing much political fallout and embarrassment to the police force.
The club had a reputation for its casual atmosphere, recreational drug usage and patronage by well-known people. The club was closed permanently shortly after the raid.
Tasty was produced by Gavin Campbell who went on to found Uranus Nightclub.
[edit] References
- A 52 minute documentary directed by Stephen Maclean titled The Tasty Bust (2003) interviews many patrons, club owners and employees to recount the events of the night.
- 'Tasty' raid: now for the song and dance, The Age, November 10, 2002
- Victoria Police Corruption, written by Raymond Hoser, [ISBN 0-9586769-6-8]
