52 Years Since The Stonewall Riots
What became one of the momentous movements in the LGBTQ+ rights movement, started as an attack. 52 years ago today, police raided a gay bar called the Stonewall Inn in Greenwich Village, New York City.
When patrons of the inn and others in the Village fought back against the police who had become violent, spontaneous demonstrations became what was to be the iconic Stonewall Riots of 1969.
💛
The Stonewall Inn came to be known as 'the gay bar' in New York City in the late 60s due to its diverse mix of LGBTQ+ people and it being the only bar for gay men in the city which permitted dancing.
During the politically charged period, police raids on gay bars were frequent, occurring once a month for most. On the Saturday night of June 28th, 1969, a group of police carried out their usual raid of the Stonewall Inn.
But the raid didn't go as planned, because as some patrons were arrested, a large group congregated outside in frustration and continued to grow.
Protests broke out when one of the arrested - thought by some to be activist Stromé DeLarverie - called on the crowd to make a stand. Reacting to the call, tens of people stepped into action. But in their attempt to control the scene, police officers got violent.
💛
As the crowd and police came head to head, garbage bins were set on fire, coins were thrown and windows were broken. The riots went on for five more days and sparked an organised response from activists who used the moment to highlight the oppression of LGBTQ+ people.
Today the Stonewall Inn stands in Greenwich Village and has become a beacon of queer liberation and a symbolic call to arms for queer people around the world.
🌈💛
SOURCE
Image 1: Grey Villet / The LIFE Picture Collection / Getty Images
Image 2: Fred W. McDarrah / Getty Images
✨🌈✨
