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Saturday Magazine

9 Aug 2014

When being at a gay club got 463 people into big trouble

News & Politics, Podcast, Society & Culture

When being at a gay club got 463 people into big trouble

It was early August, 1994, and Melbourne was a very different place. Paul Keating was Australia’s Prime Minister, Bill Clinton was US President, and Sydney’s Mardi Gras was televised for the very first time. But for 463 people enjoying a night out in Melbourne, one particular night felt like an entirely different time.

In the early hours of August 7, Victoria Police entered the Tasty nightclub and forcibly detained all those present. Patrons were then strip-searched, in full view of other attendees, with no clear motivation for the raid ever made clear.

A lawsuit was later filed against the police, costing the state $6 million in compensation payouts. Now, 20 years later, Victoria Police has officially apologised to the LGBTI community. On this edition of Saturday Magazine, Katie Purvis joins Macca as they recall their experiences and views on that fateful day.

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