Police to apologize for gay 1981 bathhouse raids

Toronto police will apologize for 1981 gay bathhouse raids. It is unclear if compensation is offered. When police stormed four gay bathhouses in Toronto on Feb. 5, 1981, patrons were mocked, humiliated — and arrested by the hundreds. The raids outed men who considered the private clubs a sanctuary, free from the hostility of a populace who disapproved of, or didn’t understand, intimacy between men. On Wednesday, Toronto police Chief Mark Saunders will make a historic apology for the raids at his annual Pride reception at police headquarters, the Star has learned. He will also apologize for a 2000 raid by six male officers on Club Toronto during a women’s bathhouse event known as the “Pussy Palace.” Police claimed to be searching for liquor violations. Many of the women were nude and felt violated, according to a story in the Star. Police settled a civil suit in 2005. The Toronto Police Service worked with prominent gay activist Rev. Brent Hawkes to craft the apology, a source said. The chief’s event will be an acknowledgment of the past and a commitment to efforts going forward, with new initiatives that speak directly to the LGBTQ community, the source said. Saunders plans to march in the Pride Parade on July 3, following in the footsteps of Bill Blair who became the first Toronto police chief to do so in 2005. In the west part of Metro Toronto, Brampton and Mississauga have not had any profile raids worth noting

Spa Robber Arrested

There was young black man around 20 who was robbing the massage parlours near Yonge and Sheppard. He was recently arrested and the spa workers feel much safer.

Toronto Licensing Attacks Spas

The Toronto Licensing Department is attacking massage parlours.
It is doing this is a very dishonest underhanded way.

In 2011 they are giving out yellow "bodyrubber without license" tickets to every Holistic massage parlour without any regard to the situation.

They have essentially instituted a flat tax. Every exotic spa gets a ticket. Every one must pay.

Next they will be asking all of them to pay $11,000 for a bodyrub license.
I think the city of Toronto sees this as a "sin" tax.
The customers and staff are largely immigrants so it is quite "racially" driven.

Another chapter is in the massage parlour saga is the story of Musa Spa.

Edward Hayes charged with attacking a massage girl

Edward Hayes is charged with attacking a massage girl in south Scarborough

The story broke at noon today April 27th, 2011

Ormont Spa

Ormont Spa is a very decent massage parlour in North York.
It was attacked many years ago by armed bandits.

Ormont Spa is in North York almost in Rexdale.

Massage Attack - Yonge and Eglinton

Police posted this report this week and it has been covered by the star and CityTV

http://www.torontopolice.on.ca/newsreleases/pdfs/19613.pdf

Its about an attack by a 30 year old man on a massage parlour worker.

The Toronto Police Service is alerting the public to a sexual assault investigation.
It is alleged that:
− the accused made an appointment with a 34−year−old woman who worked in a massage
parlour in the Yonge Street/Eglinton Avenue area,
− on Wednesday, September 8, 2010, at 10:30 p.m., the accused attended the massage
parlour for his appointment and sexually assaulted the woman with a weapon,
− the accused fled the scene and was arrested a short distance away by police, with the
assistance of members of the public.
Richard Valeanu, 30, of Toronto, has been charged with:
1) Break and Enter with Intent,
2) Sexual Assault with a Weapon,
3) Forcible Confinement,
4) Weapons Dangerous,
5) Fail to Comply with Probation.
The accused was scheduled to appeared in court at College Park on Thursday, September 9,
2010, room 501, at 10 a.m.
Police believe there may be more victims.
Anyone with information is asked to contact police at 416−808−7474, Crime Stoppers
anonymously at 416−222−TIPS (8477), online at www.222tips.com, text TOR and your
message to CRIMES (274637), or Leave A Tip on Facebook.