Club Fuck Los Angeles Police Department raid collection, 1993

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Summary

Title:
Club Fuck Los Angeles Police Department raid collection
Dates:
1993
Abstract:
Correspondence and declarations in defense of patrons arrested during a 1993 police raid at Fuck!, also known as Club Fuck!, at the Dragonfly bar in Hollywood, California.
Extent:
0.2 Linear Feet 1 box.
Language:
English .
Preferred citation:

[Box/folder #, or item name] Club Fuck Los Angeles Police Department Raid Collection, Coll2018-005, ONE National Gay and Lesbian Archives, USC Libraries, University of Southern California.

Background

Scope and content:

The collection, 1993, contains a clipping about the police raid at Club Fuck! and correspondence of witnesses of the event writing to Los Angeles County officials. The correspondence argued against the raid and police tactics on the Dragonfly Club and unjust arrests of the club goers. The collection also contains instructions for completing a declaration in defense of those arrested at the Dragonfly and all the original declarations of witnesses who vouched there was no sign of illegal activity, such as lewd conduct, at the club.

Biographical / historical:

Club Fuck! was a Los Angeles nightclub that ran from the summer of 1989 until the spring of 1993. The club was founded by Miguel Beristain, Cliff Diller, and James Stone. Originally located at Basgos (Basco's) in Silver Lake, Club Fuck! moved to the Dragonfly Bar on Santa Monica Boulevard. Club Fuck! created a space for artists, musicians, and activists. At the height of the AIDS crisis performers such as Bob Flanagan, Sheree Rose, Ron Athey, Durk Dehner, Buck Angel, and others challenged the fear of sex through performance. Club goers and performers tested the emotional and physical limits of their bodies to find pleasure in the erotic experiences of BDSM play, mummification, scaring, and piercing. On the evening of April 4th 1993, the Los Angeles Police Department and Vice Squad raided the Dragonfly club. The Vice Squad had over a dozen undercover officers inside the club, an ambulance, a helicopter, several police cars, and a police van ready for the raid. Several club goers and performers were arrested.

Acquisition information:
Gift of Race Bannon, 2018.
Processing information:

Collection processed by Kathy Pulupa, January 2018.

Rules or conventions:
Describing Archives: A Content Standard

About this collection guide

Date Encoded:
This finding aid was produced using ArchivesSpace on 2025-03-28 13:14:13 -0700 .

Access and use

Restrictions:

The collection is open to researchers. There are no access restrictions.

Terms of access:

All requests for permission to publish or quote from manuscripts must be submitted in writing to the ONE Archivist. Permission for publication is given on behalf of ONE National Gay and Lesbian Archives at USC Libraries as the owner of the physical items and is not intended to include or imply permission of the copyright holder, which must also be obtained.

Preferred citation:

[Box/folder #, or item name] Club Fuck Los Angeles Police Department Raid Collection, Coll2018-005, ONE National Gay and Lesbian Archives, USC Libraries, University of Southern California.

Location of this collection:
909 West Adams Boulevard
Los Angeles, CA 90007, US
Contact:
(213) 821-2771
askone@usc.edu
Website