Page 7 - ARUBA TODAY

A7
U.S. NEWS Friday 7 June 2019
NYPD sorry for '69 raid at now-

landmark Stonewall gay bar

NEW YORK (AP) — Nearly the very event that gay an unknown total number
50 years after a police raid pride marches commemo- of injuries; police reported
at the Stonewall Inn cata- rate each June — has hung at least four officers were
lyzed the modern LGBT over the collaboration, Fal- hurt. And the protests and
rights movement, New larino said. He hopes peo- clashes continued for sev-
York's police commissioner ple will see O'Neill's remarks eral more nights. In a Thursday April 18, 2019 file photo, New York Police Commis-
sioner James O'Neill, left, and Deputy Commissioner John Miller,
apologized Tuesday for as a sign of "the NYPD's It wasn't the first time gay right, hold a press conference with the latest into the investi-
what his department did. commitment to positive people protested or spon- gation of suspect charged with attempted arson at St. Patrick's
"The actions taken by the change." taneously clashed with po- Cathedral, in New York.
NYPD were wrong, plain Organizers of an alterna- lice. q Associated Press
and simple," Commissioner tive Stonewall anniversary
James O'Neill said during march, however, see no
a briefing at police head- such thing. They called
quarters. O'Neill's comments an
"The actions and the laws "empty apology" made un-
were discriminatory and der pressure.
oppressive," he added. "Where has this apology
"And for that, I apologize." been for the last 50 years?"
The apology comes just the group, called the Re-
weeks ahead of the mile- claim Pride Coalition, said
stone anniversary of the in a statement. The coali-
raid and the rebellion it tion, which is excluding
sparked the night of June police from its Queer Lib-
27-28, 1969, as patrons and eration March, is seeking
others fought back against a more sweeping apology
officers and a social order from the NYPD. The group
that kept gay life in the says transgender and mi-
shadows. nority LGBT people, among
Organizers of what is ex- others, still face heavy-
pected to be a massive handed policing.
LGBT Pride celebration in At the time of the Stonewall
the city this year had called raid, the psychiatric estab-
this week for police to apol- lishment saw homosexual-
ogize. So had City Council ity as a mental disorder,
Speaker Corey Johnson, and law enforcement of-
who is gay. ten viewed it as a crime.
He tweeted his apprecia- LGBT people could be sub-
tion for O'Neill's remarks, ject to arrest for showing
and Pride organizers affection, dancing togeth-
cheered them. er, even for not wearing a
"The NYPD, as an institution, certain number of items
needed to take responsibil- deemed gender-appropri-
ity for what happened at ate. Bars that served gay
Stonewall. This isn't going to people had at times lost
undo the decades of vio- their liquor licenses, and
lence and discrimination others — like the Stonewall
that our community has ex- — were simply unlicensed.
perienced at the hands of Raids were common.
the police, but it's a good That night, patrons and
first start," said James Falla- passers-by erupted in re-
rino, a spokesman for NYC sistance, shouting at offi-
Pride. cers, throwing coins, cans
Police participate in and and anything at hand, and
protect its annual parade, facing off with a tactical
but the lack of a formal police unit brought in as
apology from the depart- reinforcements. There were
ment for the 1969 raid — about a dozen arrests and
CAR RENTAL 5616944

Address: Paramira #30 (Oranjestad) - Email: yessrentalcar@gmail.com - Website: www.yessrentalcar.com
We Rent:
Cars- Vans - SUV