Argentine Police Chief Resigns After Anti-Gay Slurs Buenos Aires Gay Bars Raided Gay activists in Buenos Aires

By Rex Wockner International News Report Argentine Police Chief Resigns After Anti-Gay Slurs The police chief of Rosario, Argentina, resigned November 4 after calling gays "masked AIDS carriers" who should be forcibly relocated to a city of their own. In an interview on local radio, Benedicto Mattia also proposed exiling drug addicts, corrupt politicians and bad news reporters, and denounced transvestites for being prostitutes. The city's transvestite collective responded by pointing out that the police allow them to ply their trade in exchange for sexual favors. "Unfortunately, even now many people continue to hold prejudices which are incompatible with public office," said Victor Ramos, head of the National Institute Against Discrimination, Xenophobia and Racism. "It is dangerous when such a person is the chief of police." Buenos Aires Gay Bars Raided Federal Police raided two gay bars in Buenos Aires, Argentina, last month. In an October 2 incident at Pub Gasoil New Generation, 40 people were detained and then released without being charged. The bar was shut down. On October 22, 19th Precinct police raided El Eterno and arrested 70 people for violation of the Law of Games and Prevention. Patrons were playing bingo for a prize of a bottle of champagne at the time of the invasion. Four TV channels aired footage of the raid (and of the faces of the patrons). At least one station titled its report "Sex Bingo," claiming police said the winner was to receive sexual favors not champagne. For information on where to mail protest letters, contact Sydney Levy, Research and Advocacy Director, International Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission, 1360 Mission St. #200, San Francisco, CA 94103, USA. Phone: (415)-255-8680; fax: (415) 255- 8662; e-mail: sydney@iglhrc.org.

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