“The Stonewall Inn” was an unlicensed bar that was owned by he mafia. The mafia regularly paid bribes to New York police, to keep the bar open. To finance those police bribes, wealthy patrons were extorted by the mafia, when the mafia stated they would tell the patron’s family and employers about their homosexual activities at the bar in the event the bribe was not paid. On June 28th, 1969, at 1:20AM, the New York police raided “The Stonewall Inn” with the intent to shut down the illegally operating bar, in spite of the fact bribes had been regularly paid. A crowd gathered outside of the bar, and when the police insulted some members of the crowd, they responded by throwing items at the cops and trying to burn down the Stonewall Inn that the cops were inside of.
For three consecutive nights patrons of the bar, and supporters of LGBT movement, rioted against the police. After the third night the rioting ended, after police abandoned the scene, and the “Gay Liberation Front” was founded soon after.
The Gay Pride Festival is celebrated every year to honor the Stonewall Riots which is considered as the start of the LGBT rights movement in the United States.
Hamilton Historical Records 