AUSTIN, Texas — A well-known local LGBTQ+ club says its business was disrupted Saturday night when city of Austin Code Compliance officers temporarily shut the club down over a false overcapacity claim.
In a social media post, Rain on 4th said on Saturday night, March 15, Code Compliance officers shut the club down at 11 p.m., forcing Rain to empty the space and conduct a count of everyone inside.
“We knew from the beginning, we were 100 people UNDER our approved capacity,” Rain wrote. “Even then, the aggressive city code officer in charge forced us to re-count yet again.”
Rain said it was only after “disrupting our community space” for more than an hour and after “proving multiple times” that Rain was in compliance that code enforcement officers said they had the wrong address and had made a “mistake” by shutting the club down.
“No apologies, no remorse,” Rain wrote.
The club apologized to its customers for the disruption, saying it “WILL NOT accept this type of treatment from our city officials” and it will do all that it can “to ensure this does NOT happen to you again.”
KVUE has reached out for comment from the city’s Development Services department, which includes Code Compliance. This article will be updated if we receive a response.
Councilmember says Austin should be a ‘safe haven for all’
Zo Qadri, the Austin City Council member who represents most of downtown, has responded to the incident at Rain, as well as another incident reported near Sixth Street. Video of that alleged incident appears to show an Austin Police Department (APD) officer slamming a transgender woman to the ground.
Qadri said he is in contact with both the Downtown Safety District and APD “to get answers.”
“I am deeply concerned with troubling reports of unacceptable interactions between the City of Austin and our LGBTQIA+ community,” Qadri said in a statement, later adding, “Austin must be a safe haven for all, and our queer community deserves city leaders that will continue to push for accountability and action.”