Lavender Scare ..
28th June 1969: The Stonewall Riots begin when NYPD raid the Stonewall Inn in Greenwich Village:
In 1969 it was illegal to engage in homosexual behavior in public, which included holding hands, kissing, or dancing with someone of the same sex. Members of the LGBT community consequently socialized in gay bars that were frequently raided by the police. The Stonewall Inn in Greenwich Village had been turned in to a gay bar by the Mafia with the hope that they could profit from offering ‘protection’ to the patrons, while paying off the police to ensure they could continue operating even without a liquor license.
By 1969 the bar had become incredibly popular, especially as it was the only establishment in the city that allowed gay men to dance together. However it also attracted a lot of attention from the police’s Public Morals Squad who frequently raided the city’s gay bars and arrested patrons and employees alike.
In the early hours of 28 June, police officers raided the Stonewall Inn. While they attempted to arrest employees and patrons suspected of cross-dressing, around another 200 customers were released from the bar only to congregate outside on Christopher Street. Scuffles between the patrons and the police soon turned into a full-scale riot, as the community’s longstanding anger exploded.
Unaccustomed to such a violent response, the police retreated back inside the bar. The building was smashed up and set alight and, despite the arrival of riot police, it wasn’t until 4 a.m. that the situation began to calm down. Nevertheless, rioting continued for another five nights and acted as a catalyst for LGBT political activism. Just a year later the first gay pride marches took place, marking the first anniversary of the Stonewall Riots.
In 1969 it was illegal to engage in homosexual behavior in public, which included holding hands, kissing, or dancing with someone of the same sex. Members of the LGBT community consequently socialized in gay bars that were frequently raided by the police. The Stonewall Inn in Greenwich Village had been turned in to a gay bar by the Mafia with the hope that they could profit from offering ‘protection’ to the patrons, while paying off the police to ensure they could continue operating even without a liquor license.
By 1969 the bar had become incredibly popular, especially as it was the only establishment in the city that allowed gay men to dance together. However it also attracted a lot of attention from the police’s Public Morals Squad who frequently raided the city’s gay bars and arrested patrons and employees alike.
In the early hours of 28 June, police officers raided the Stonewall Inn. While they attempted to arrest employees and patrons suspected of cross-dressing, around another 200 customers were released from the bar only to congregate outside on Christopher Street. Scuffles between the patrons and the police soon turned into a full-scale riot, as the community’s longstanding anger exploded.
Unaccustomed to such a violent response, the police retreated back inside the bar. The building was smashed up and set alight and, despite the arrival of riot police, it wasn’t until 4 a.m. that the situation began to calm down. Nevertheless, rioting continued for another five nights and acted as a catalyst for LGBT political activism. Just a year later the first gay pride marches took place, marking the first anniversary of the Stonewall Riots.
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