Police raided gay BDSM bar Commander D in Taipei’s Ximending district on Saturday, October 3. The bar was raided under the Social Order Maintenance Act, and the venue’s owner was placed under arrest on suspicion of public indecency, while 51 patrons were detained for questioning.

Commander D had received 13 complaints this year alleging activities that violated public decency. The 51 patrons were questioned under “wantonly exposing one’s naked body or presenting a lascivious posture in a public place or publicly accessible place” under provisions of the Social Order Maintenance Act.

The raid drew criticism over the way it was conducted, with witnesses alleging police refused to show the court-ordered search warrant, prevented people from recording the procedure, used discriminatory language towards people with disabilities and used excessive force.

“They raided the place violently. It was very scary,” said one eyewitness, while another claimed they were held for questioning for more than six hours. 

Police had initially denied these allegations until footage of the raid was made public online. The footage shows a police officer asking a patron in a wheelchair the inappropriate question of how disabled people have sex. 

Authorities maintained that the raid was conducted in accordance with the law and the venue was not targeted solely because it served the LGBTQ+ community.

The raid came just weeks before Taiwan Pride, which will run from October 29 to November 1. 

The raid was met with outrage from the Taipei LGBTQ+ communities. On Sunday, October 4, around 100 protesters gathered near Ximending’s Red House before marching to the Wanhua Police Precinct. Many demanded an investigation to be opened regarding the raid. The Red House is a well-known area for Taipei’s queer nightlife.

Following an investigation into the raid, the Taipei City Police Department has issued disciplinary action against six police officers involved. Four officers received two reprimands each for using discriminatory language. The lead investigator received a demerit for failing to intervene with the officers involved, while Wanhua Precinct chief Chen Yung-hua was also reprimanded for inadequate supervision.

Taipei Mayor Chiang Wan-an issued an apology to those affected and expressed regret over the improper conduct of the police force. “Taipei has always been an inclusive and friendly city for us,” said Chiang.

Taipei is generally considered a safe and visible space for queer communities. Same-sex marriage became legal in Taiwan in 2019, making it the first jurisdiction in Asia to legalise marriage equality, while in 2023 amendments to the legislation expanded adoption rights for same-sex couples.