MINNEAPOLIS — "It brought back the feelings from the shooting that happened at Pulse in Orlando, Florida in 2016 and the same sense of, 'Can something like this happen again?'" said Bobby Palmer, the General Manager of the Saloon, a staple in the downtown area for four decades.
"Gay-owned, gay-operated the entire time, and you don't see that often," said Palmer.
In response to Saturday's deadly shooting, which left five people dead and dozens more injured, Palmer put up a post on Facebook calling the news " a nightmare," adding the bar will be "increasing security protocols over the holiday."
"We already took things very seriously, we will be adding some security on, we will be sure we're checking bags," he said. "We will be working with people to try and come up with some emergency preparedness plan and we will likely start wanding people again on Fridays and Saturdays like we do at PRIDE," he said.
Other LGBTQ bars and venues across the city are also showing support. In a Facebook post, Lush Lounge and Theater said, "Our hearts break for another queer community terrorized by violence simply for being who they are."
For the last 34 years, Robert Parker has been the general manager of the Gay 90s. In a written statement, he told KARE 11:
"We have always been prepared for the hate that haunts our community. We have a security staff that always keeps that in mind. You’d think that after all these years it would get better.
Our customers fit all the colors of that rainbow. We have been ignored and tormented and seem to take the blame for all the things that the far right wishes to blame us for. The city, politicians and media love a scapegoat for the problems.
We simply want to exist in a place where we are treated like everyone else. No better, no worse. When you have to fight the hate just to exist, it seems like an impossible goal. We are always targets. We learn to live that way. Most people never have to deal with that, so it’s outside of their experience.
It always gets better. But sometimes we take giant steps backwards. We seem to be moving in the wrong direction right now. I know it will swing the other way, and we will make great strides. Until then, we are always prepared. The fight continues. One day we will not see the hate that takes lives. Any life."
"No matter how hard we try to help people make sure they get home OK, this is always a concern. What I've always said is that we are stronger in numbers, we are stronger together," Palmer said.
Now, he's helping to put together fundraising efforts to raise money to help support those impacted by this latest mass shooting.
"I hope the fundraisers that we do will take some of the worry, some of the pressure, off, and hopefully something that would do some good," he said.
A fundraiser is planned at the Saloon on Dec. 17 from 7-10 p.m. For more information, visit their Facebook page here.
To support the victims of the Club Q shooting, visit the link here.
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