The owners of an adult book store are suing the city of Upland, claiming police are harassing and arresting their customers without good reason.
Roger Jon Diamond, a lawyer representing the owners of Mustang Books and Videos, said police are routinely intimidating and harassing store customers as part of a systematic effort to force the shop to close, according to the Inland Valley Bulletin.
City officials deny any wrongdoing.
Since July 2005, Upland police have conducted two sting operations targeting the store. Police said 86 people have been arrested on suspicioun of lewd conduct during those stings, adding that they routinely catch customers involved in sex acts inside and outside the store.
In a suit filed last week, the store owners said they are seeking an injunction to bar police from entering the business and arresting its customers. They also are asking for the city to pay for its legal costs for bringing the action.
The bookstore was located in county unincorporated area until last year when Upland annexed it, bringing the shop under the jurisdiction of Upland. The suit says that it wasn’t until then that police began harassing the business.
Shop owners say in their suit that there is no reasonable explanation for the sudden police interest in the shop other than to force them to close down.
