Uploaded June 2026 | Updated September 2026, 2 days ago
On Feb. 5, 1981, nearly 200 plainclothes and uniformed police officers raided four of Toronto’s gay bathhouses: the Club Baths, the Romans II Health and Recreation Spa, the Richmond Street Health Emporium and the Barracks.
Armed with crowbars and hammers, Toronto police knocked down doors and walls, smashed windows and mirrors, broke into private rooms and arrested nearly 300 gay men as part of a six-month undercover operation that police called “Operation Soap.”
The men were subjected to verbal abuse and hostile searches and were charged with being “found-ins.” The raids also caused significant damage to the bathhouses themselves.
Back in 1969, the Canadian government “decriminalized” homosexuality. But that’s not exactly what happened. No criminal laws related to homosexuality were repealed. And consensual sex in spaces like bathhouses remained criminalized, which led to them being highly targeted by police.
More than 90 percent of the charges from the Toronto bathhouse raids were eventually dropped. But Toronto police would not apologize publicly until 2016, 35 years after the raids.
On the 45th anniversary of the bathhouse raids, Toronto mayor Olivia Chow announced at a news conference that the city will create a heritage plaque to ensure that history will not be forgotten.
#lgbtqnews #lgbthistory #queerhistory #torontohistory #canadianhistory
Xtra Magazine is one of the world’s leading LGBTQ2S+ online publications. Founded in Toronto in 1984 by Pink Triangle Press, the independent, queer-run media company, Xtra is an award-winning digital magazine and community platform covering queer and trans politics, culture, sex, relationships and health.
For more lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer content, visit: xtramagazine.com
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On Feb. 5, 1981, nearly 200 plainclothes and uniformed police officers raided four of Toronto’s gay bathhouses: the Club Baths, the Romans II Health and Recreation Spa, the Richmond Street Health Emporium and the Barracks.
Armed with crowbars and hammers, Toronto police knocked down doors and walls, smashed windows and mirrors, broke into private rooms and arrested nearly 300 gay men as part of a six-month undercover operation that police called “Operation Soap.”
The men were subjected to verbal abuse and hostile searches and were charged with being “found-ins.” The raids also caused significant damage to the bathhouses themselves.
Back in 1969, the Canadian government “decriminalized” homosexuality. But that’s not exactly what happened. No criminal laws related to homosexuality were repealed. And consensual sex in spaces like bathhouses remained criminalized, which led to them being highly targeted by police.
More than 90 percent of the charges from the Toronto bathhouse raids were eventually dropped. But Toronto police would not apologize publicly until 2016, 35 years after the raids.
On the 45th anniversary of the bathhouse raids, Toronto mayor Olivia Chow announced at a news conference that the city will create a heritage plaque to ensure that history will not be forgotten.
#lgbtqnews #lgbthistory #queerhistory #torontohistory #canadianhistory
Xtra Magazine is one of the world’s leading LGBTQ2S+ online publications. Founded in Toronto in 1984 by Pink Triangle Press, the independent, queer-run media company, Xtra is an award-winning digital magazine and community platform covering queer and trans politics, culture, sex, relationships and health.
For more lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer content, visit: xtramagazine.com
Don't forget to follow us on social media!
➡️ TikTok: tiktok.com/@xtramagazine
➡️ X: twitter.com/xtramagazine
➡️ Facebook: facebook.com/xtramagazine
➡️ Instagram: instagram.com/xtramagazine
