SEATTLE – The gay bars that populate Seattle’s Capitol Hill traditionally have displayed sexually suggestive images some people consider pornographic. There’s a reason, bar owners claim: The prominent positioning of erotic gay imagery warns homophobes to stay away.

For years law enforcement has lent tacit approval to the practice. After all, the fallout from violent, public gay bashing often represents more trouble for them than just letting the gay boys have their fun.

A recent upswing in police visits and take-down orders in the area, though, has Seattle’s gay community wondering if the department’s East Precinct has developed a sudden hard-on for gay porn. Bar owners, managers and employees say they have been hassled repeatedly within the past two months by officers who demand the porn disappear.

“[Police] have been in twice this week already making sure we’re not showing penis or pubic hair,” C.C. Attle’s manager Scott told alternative weekly The Stranger. “It’s just ridiculous.”

At Seattle Eagle, which admittedly takes things to extremes by showing explicit gay videos on its big-screen TV, the story is similar.

“I’ve run this bar for over 10 years, and I’ve been showing hardcore porn on this screen for over six,” manager Keith Christiansen told The Stranger. “[Lately] the police come in and see two guys kissing, they freak out.”

The gay community said the new attitude coincided with Capt. Paul McDonagh’s April 2007 ascension to the position of Top Cop for the East Precinct, but the “porn raids” have become much more noticeable since March. Although they feel running videos in the clubs adds to the ambience, they wouldn’t mind being more selective in the material they display…if they could figure out what line not to cross. According to the bars, mixed messages are emanating from the cop shop and the other regulatory entity with which they must contend: the Washington State Liquor Control Board.

Seattle Municipal Code prohibits displaying images of sex, masturbation or genitalia in view of “a public thoroughfare.” Regulations adopted by the alcoholic beverage watchdog prohibit images that depict sexual touching or intercourse. Bar staffs say the porn they show consistently passes muster with LCB enforcers, but not with the police.

For the time being, the bars have vowed to change as little as possible about the way they currently operate. If police continue to upset patrons and employees with frequent visits, however, they may give in and ban porn altogether.

“If they keep harassing us, we’ll stop [showing porn],” Scott told The Stranger. “It’s just not worth it.”