Dallas-Fort Worth gay bars address security in response to Club Q shootings – The Dallas Morning News

Liberty Lounge is a tiny speck of a bar, tucked into Fort Worth’s historic Southside.

Owner Jenna Hill calls the bar her “little hole in the wall.” Hill, a former teacher whose mother is gay, opened the bar in 2020 to provide queer folks with a safe place.

When Hill learned five people were killed and nearly 20 injured at a gay bar in Colorado Springs, she wept.

“Queer bars are our church,” she said. “It’s a place where we can come together and feel safe with our family.”

Bars have long served as an invaluable mainstay of queer life, with The Stonewall Inn in 1969 famously helping usher in the gay liberation movement in the United States.

This week, gay bars across North Texas responded to the shootings at Club Q with anguish and horror, but also plans to add to or evaluate their security measures.

LGBTQ bar and restaurant managers said active shooter training and strict safety policies are already the norm.

Round-Up Saloon and Dance Hall in Dallas announced it will begin restricting backpacks and any bags larger than a piece of paper. Large signs at the bar’s entrance address the new policy.

Another sign says no guns are allowed and could result in a felony, with 10 years in prison or a fine of $10,000.

The bar, which participated in a moment of silence about 24 hours after the shooting, undergoes safety training sessions every quarter by 24HourDallas, a nonprofit that advocates for safe nightlife, said Donnesh Ismael, the bar’s event manager.

“We take this [training] very seriously that when people come into our establishment they’re trusting us to keep them safe,” Ismael added.

Dallas police added additional patrols near gay bars this week as a precaution despite no credible threats toward the city’s LGBTQ community, police spokeswoman Kristin Lowman said.

The department’s two LGBTQ liaison officers are in constant communication with local businesses and organizations to discuss concerns and answer questions, she said.

While hiring security would be a business’ responsibility, Lowman said officers “will always respond if there is a need for police presence or a call for service.”

Mr. Misster increased security this year in response to protesters who showed up outside an all-ages drag brunch in June. The bar contracted with outside security guards to ensure the safety of their guests and staff, owner Trey Stewart said.

“Safety of our patrons has always been our number one priority,” he said, “but more so now than ever after the recent attacks that we have encountered, as well as other LGBTQ venues.”

Bars along The Strip, a spot for LGBTQ nightlife near downtown Dallas, communicate frequently to ensure security.

At Roy G’s, bartender Joe Donovan said police presence gives him a sense of safety, but he said many bars and restaurants have glass walls and windows.

“It’s a tricky situation,” he said, “because really, how do you protect anything from that?”

In Fort Worth, Hill wants to reach out to other gay bars and the police to begin defense classes and active shooter training.

While Liberty Lounge has not seen a decline in customers this week, the topic of safety has been at the forefront of conversations.

“Everyone deserves to feel loved and heard and safe,” she said. “There are so many who need this safe space.”

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