Alabama- An adult video store is out of business, after public outrage, a string of arrests for lewd behavior and some fast action by Birmingham elected leaders, Tuesday.

Birmingham Police officers and a mobile-home-sized Police Tactical unit parked along Birmingham’s 2nd Ave. South at 22nd Street, outside The Screening Room. They were there on direct orders from Mayor Larry Langford, who issued a sudden directive from his seat at today’s city council meeting.

“Why don’t I just get the police department to take a tactical mobile command unit and park it down there until we either clean it up or you shut it down,” Langford said as he interrupted testimony of a police detective about lewd behavior seen inside the store. Langford sent police to enforce the shut-down of the adult movie store, as City Councilors voted unanimously to revoke the business license.

The swift move came after a police detective testified that more than 15 arrests for public lewdness had been made at the store this year. He told city leaders that officers observed nudity, public sex acts and found debris such as used condoms outside the business, when police conducted under-cover visits and stings at the property.

Dozens of people, who live or work nearby, lined up to tell City Councilors why they wanted the Screening Room closed.

“These activities are spilling out onto the streets into our neighborhood,” one man said.

“We’ve known this activity has been going on in this place for years,” another man told elected leaders.

Many of the speakers live or work within blocks of the Screening Room, in up-scale lofts and offices. Winning their case so quickly brought applause not only about the store’s closing, but also about the Council and Mayor’s fast action.

“There’s sort of going to be a weight lifted after an establishment with all sorts of illegal activities happening inside has been shut down. That’s law and order. That’s justice. That’s how it should happen,” said local resident Camille Spratling who is also President of a nearby neighborhood group.

“He’s very pro-active and very aggressive and I think it’s sort of a precedent that if you are organized and come here and put your foot down and make a statement, they’ll be receptive to that,” said Michael Dudley who lives and works near the Screening Room.

There were similar words from Langford, who called the public outcry an example.

“A community said it’s had enough. They weren’t afraid to come speak out because if you don’t tell, and if you are more afraid than the business, they win. I appreciate you all coming here today to take back your community,” Langford said.

No one from the Screening Room was present at the City Council meeting. No one spoke on behalf of the business, and a lawyer representing the business has not returned calls as of Tuesday afternoon.