Demonstrations, defiance and arrests continued for several more nights. Some bucked arrest and scuffled with officers, who took cover inside the bar for a time before riot police arrived. They confronted the officers, hurling coins, bottles, invective and more. At a time when homosexuality was defined as mental illness and showing same-sex affection could be deemed illegal, a diverse crowd of hundreds of gay men, bisexuals, lesbians and transgender people refused to go quietly after police raided the bar. Many details of what happened at the Stonewall are enveloped in differing perspectives, disputes and the uncertainty of half-century-old memories.īut the outlines are clear. 'And then what came from it was the joy - the enlightenment for the country, for the world, that, 'Hey, we're here. That was the horror,' recalls Olenick, who was among many patrons police eventually allowed to leave the bar.
'I'm standing there, not knowing what was going on.
