Source: LVDA
By: Company Press Release
(LAS VEGAS, NV) — Undercover vice officers stormed Deja Vu Showgirls last night in a display of power and arrogance reminiscent of Nazi Germany. Customers fled on foot and in cabs, many vowing never to return, and the club was virtually shut down for two hours, reports LVDA (Las Vegas Dancer’s Alliance).
Failing to find any criminal activity, the police lined up every dancer in the club to check their “work cards” – unconstitutional licenses required by the police in Nevada for the right to perform a constitutionally-protected activity – and handed out citations left and right. One dancer was cited because her buttocks barely brushed against a customer, another was cited for asking the officers for their names and badge numbers. Another dancer was told if she said anything at all she would be taken straight to jail. Yet another dancer was cited because the name that appeared on her work card was spelled differently than the way it appeared in the club computer. When she tried to explain that she had nothing to do with data entry at the club she was told “shut up or you’re going to jail.” Many other citations were issued because dancers had “failed” to register new addresses with the police.
The raid was the fourth this week and ratchets up the war between the adult entertainment industry and local police.
Commenting on the raid, Andrea Hackett, Executive Director of the Las Vegas Dancers Alliance said, “This will not stand. We will not be intimidated by this police department. We will not buckle under to their harassment and intimidation. And we will not abide by their interpretation of morality. This police department has no credibility with the people of this valley.”
Las Vegas Dancers Alliance has called an emergency meeting for this week and is meeting with their lawyers, club owners, the ACLU, and a consortium of organizations from around the state.
“It’s a frightening day in America when honest, working women with no criminal histories are threatened with incarceration for failing to register their address with the police or for asking an officer for his badge number,” said one club owner who insisted on remaining anonymous.
“Folks who plan to visit Las Vegas need to know that Las Vegas is no longer Sin City,” added Ms. Hackett. “Las Vegas is now one of the most conservative, uptight cities in America and our organization is calling a nationwide boycott on travel to Las Vegas until the police back off.”
Las Vegas Dancers Alliance is an organization of adult entertainers who live and work in Southern Nevada.
