image: http://www.queermusicheritage.us/jun2009sr.html
The Stonewall Riots, the founding act of the contemporary gay movement, broke in June 1969 in the Stonewall
Inn gay bar located at 53 Christopher Street, Greenwich Village, New York. The customers, who were tired of
being subjected to yet another unfounded police control, rebelled.
The raid that took place on June 28th was different from previous interventions. Around 3 am, 1 hour later than
usual, eight plainclothed officers entered the bar. People who were stopped were those without identity cards or
wearing clothing usually reserved for the opposite sex, as well as employees of the bar.
It is not known exactly how the riot began, but the crowd at the scene began to fight against the police, who took
refuge in the bar surprised and understaffed. During the night, many transgender men were attacked and beaten
by the police. The first night, thirteen people were arrested and four policemen and an unknown number of
protesters injured.
Craig Rodwell, who created the Oscar Wilde Memorial Bookshop (Oscar Wilde was gay) in 1967, stirred up
the press. Journalists attended several days of fighting that continued on the street. Indeed, on June 28th, riots
subsided. The clashes lasted five days, all the bullying of homosexual victims previously resurfaced.
Sources: http://www.religioustolerance.org/hom_agen60.htm (retrieved November 27th 2010)
http://www.infoplease.com/ipa/A0761909.html (retrieved November 27th 2010)
http://www.lifeintheusa.com/people/gaypeople.htm (retrieved December 3th 2010)
http://www.edubook.com/gay-rights-movement-in-america/13845/ (retrieved December 3th 2010)
