Why did police raid gay bars in the 60s

The Stonewall Inn, New York, was a bar that welcomed gay men, lesbians and transgender people.

How the Stonewall Uprising Ignited the Modern LGBTQ Rights Movement

It was also owned by the mafia. These factors combined made the bar a target for police raids and the arrest of its patrons. In Junethe police had raided two other local bars that served gay people. These raids had not been met with much resistance. However, when the police raided the Stonewall Inn on 28 June, the outcome was different.

In this guide. Gay rights The Stonewall riots The impact of the Stonewall riots. The Stonewall riots. Raid on the Stonewall Inn. The crowd outside the Stonewall Inn attempting to stop the police from making arrests. Nine police officers arrested employees of the bar for selling alcohol without a licence and also arrested several people for not wearing at least three items of 'gender-appropriate' clothing.

The crowd attacked the police officers and threw objects at their vans. The police called for reinforcements and barricaded themselves inside the bar for safety. Police reinforcements cleared the protesters and released the officers inside the bar. Four police officers were hurt in the riot and 13 protesters were arrested.

Protests continued in the area for five days, with the gay community voicing their anger and resentment towards the police and the laws that oppressed them. Next page. More guides on this topic. Anti-Communism c. Related links. History revision resources Bitesize revision podcasts Personalise your Bitesize!