Thirteen persons were arrested and four policemen
injured. The young men threw bricks, bottles, garbage,
pennies and a parking meter at the policemen, who had a
search warrant authorizing them in investigate reports
that liquor was sold illegally at the bar, the Stonewall
Inn, 53 Christopher Street, just off Sheridan Square.
Deputy Inspector Seymour Pine said that a large crowd
formed in the square after being evicted from the bar.
Police reinforcements were sent to the area to hold off
the crowd. Plainclothes men and detectives confiscated
cases of liquor from the bar, which inspector Pine said
was operating without a liquor license.
The police estimated that 200 young men had been
expelled from the bar. The crowd grew to close to 400
during the melee, which lasted about 45 minutes, they
said. Arrested in the melee, was Dave Van Ronk, 33 years
old, of 15 Sheridan Square, a well-known folk singer. He
was accused of having thrown a heavy object at a
patrolman and later paroled in his own recognizance.
The Raid was one of three held on Village bars in the
last two weeks, Inspector Pine said. Charges against the
13 who were arrested ranged from harassment and
resisting arrest to disorderly conduct. A patrolman
suffered a broken wrist, the police said.
Throngs of young men congregated outside the inn last
night, reading aloud condemnations of the police. A sign
on the door said, "This is a private club. Members
only." Only soft drinks were being served.
2 Heavy police
reinforcements cleared the Sheridan Square area of
Greenwich Village again yesterday morning when large
crowds of young men, angered by a police raid on an inn
frequented by homosexuals, swept through the area.
Tactical Patrol Force units assigned to the East Village
poured into the area about 2:15 A.M. after units from
the Charles Street station house were unable to control
a crowd of about 400 youths, some of whom were throwing
bottles and lighting small fires.
Their arms linked, a row of helmeted policemen
stretching across the width of the street made several
sweeps up and down Christopher Street between the Avenue
of the Americas and Seventh Avenue South. The crowd
retreated before them, but many groups fled into the
numerous small side streets and re-formed behind the
police line. The police were not withdrawn until 4 A.M.
A number of people who did not retreat fast enough were
pushed and shoved along, and at least two men were
clubbed to the ground. Stones and bottles were thrown at
the police lines, and the police twice broke ranks and
charged into the crowd. Three persons were arrested on
charges of harassment and disorderly conduct. The crowd
had gathered in the evening across the street from the
Stonewall Inn at 53 Christopher Street, where the police
staged a raid early Saturday. The police were denounced
by last night's crowd for allegedly harassing homo-sexuals.
Graffiti on the boarded-up windows of the inn included:
"Support gay power" and "Legalize gay bars."
Saturday's raid took place when about 200 people were in
the bar. Plainclothes men, with a warrant authorizing a
search for illegal sales of alcohol, confiscated cases
of liquor and beer. A Melce involving about 400 youths
ensued, a partial riot mobilization was ordered by
Police
Headquarters, and 13 persons were arrested on a number
of Charges. Four policemen were injured, one suffering a
broken wrist. Among those arrested was Dave Van Ronk, a
folk singer.Please Note: For further
information on the Stonewall Riot of 1969, and the Gay
Rights Movement, I have enclosed the following website
links.
1."The
Stonewall Riot and It's Aftermath": An online edition of
Columbia University Library
2."Milestones
In The Gay Rights Movement"
3.
New York Public Library: Gay and Lesbian Studies
4.
"Gay NY, Lesbians & Gay Men And The Making of The City":
The City University of New York
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