Pittsburgh gay bar raided: Cops blame overcrowding, but the LGBTQ+ community says the crackdown is ‘happening’

On May 2, 2025, Pittsburgh police raided P Town, a well-known gay bar in the city. Approximately 20 officers from the city’s Nuisance Bar Task Force were at the scene. The officers cited “overcrowding” as the reason for the intervention, noting that 133 patrons were present in a venue with a 70-person occupancy limit. 

“It’s happening folks”

However, the raid occurred during “Another Party Pittsburgh,” a recurring drag event featuring trans icon Amanda Lepore. Attendees were made to wait outside in the rain for about 30 minutes while authorities conducted their inspection, according to LGBTQ+ news outlet Them

The LGBTQ+ community has expressed deep concern over the timing and nature of the raid, viewing it as part of a broader pattern of targeted actions against queer spaces. 

Indica, a performer at the event, later tweeted: “My show, another party, was raided last night by 25 state police officers, the fire department, and liquor compliance. It’s absolutely no surprise that the show they targeted was a predominantly trans & non-binary cast. It’s happening folks.”

This sentiment echoes fears that the raid is not an isolated incident but part of a larger crackdown on LGBTQ+ communities.

In a statement, Mayor Ed Gainey acknowledged the historical trauma associated with such raids, referencing the 1969 Stonewall uprising, and has called for a review of the task force’s practices to prevent harassment.

Gainey insisted, however, that the action “was driven by a report to the city’s Bureau of Fire, specifically asking for a check on overcrowding; inspectors found that the bar, with an occupancy permit for 70, had 133 people inside.”

Gainey said, “It was not so long ago that police raids on gay bars were routine, and it was one such raid, at the Stonewall Inn in Greenwich Village, that sparked the modern movement to establish safe places for people to be open about their gender and sexuality without fear of arrest. It is my intent that our actions as a city build upon, rather than undermine, that legitimate desire for safety.”

After the raid, in an Instagram statement, P Town said in part, “We want to reaffirm our commitment to making P Town a vibrant, inclusive, and safe space for the LGBTQ+ community and everyone who joins us. This has always been—and will always be—our top priority.”

The statement added, “Second, the inspection brought to light a few areas where we need to make improvements. We are committed to working diligently to comply with all city, county, and state regulations.”

Trump’s anti-LGBTQ+ and anti-DEI rhetoric

The incident at P Town occurs amidst a national climate of increasing hostility toward LGBTQ+ rights. Since returning to the office, President Donald Trump has issued a series of executive orders rolling back protections for LGBTQ+ individuals. These include banning gender-affirming care for minors, restricting transgender individuals from serving in the military, and eliminating federal diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs. 

Civil rights organizations have condemned these actions. Lambda Legal described Trump’s policies as “an assault on decades of civil rights progress,” and has initiated multiple lawsuits challenging the administration’s executive orders.

The raid on P Town is perceived by many as a manifestation of the federal government’s broader anti-LGBTQ+ stance, emboldening local authorities to target queer spaces under the guise of regulatory compliance. As the community grapples with these challenges, the resilience and solidarity displayed during and after the raid serve as a testament to their enduring fight for equality and recognition.