Brooklyn club RASH to reopen in autumn following arson attack

Brooklyn nightclub RASH has confirmed its plans to reopen this autumn after an arson attack earlier this year left the address badly damaged and unable to continue operating. 

Following the incident, a crowd-funding campaign was set up which has since raised more than $100,000 and is still accepting donations. More recently, a range of merchandise has gone on sale to raise proceeds and help efforts to get the club back up and running. 

RASH caught fire on Sunday 3rd April after a man entered the venue and poured gasoline over the floor. A team of 60 firefighters attended the scene, where two people — one DJ and one member of the club’s team — rushed to hospital for burns and smoke inhalation. The prime suspect, John Lhota, now faces seven years in prison with a maximum sentence of 40 years.

The Bushwick space only opened in October 2021, and is located in an area known for its LGBTQIA+ nightlife. As per a report by Rolling Stone, a number of other attacks have added to concern among the queer community, including a stabbing at the recently shut Bossa Nova Civic Club, close to RASH, and a pepper spray bomb at Nowadays in Queens.