REMEMBER LOS ANGELES GAY HISTORY

THE BLACK CAT IN SILVERLAKE WAS THE ORIGINAL GAY UPRISING

to honor gay day LA~ 2012, i would like to point out that the first gay protest against police raids happened in  SILVERLAKE, LOS ANGELES- 2 YEARS BEFORE STONEWALL~

How it went down in 1967 in Los Angeles.

On june 16, 1967- Los Angeles citizens appeared in court (Div. 59) to enter pleas to charges resulting from a police mass arrest at a bar called THE BLACK CAT, (now LE BARCITO) located at 3909 Sunset Blvd. in Los Angeles. The bar has been open approximately 2 months. The arrests took place New Year's eve (January 1, 1967) and were made by a large goup of police officers. About 12 vice-squad officers (plainclothesmen) started beating patrons to the floor about 5 minutes after midnight. They did not identify themselves except by their weapons. After beating the patrons, the 16 to be arrested were laid face down on the sidewalk outside the bar. 5 patrol cars, containing 2 uniformed officers each, were brought from a near-by side street where they had been parked for sometime and the individuals arrested were taken to the newly opened Rampart St. Police Station. 3 bartenders were among those arrested.

Officers then went to a second bar, at 4001 Sunset Blvd., attacked the lady bar owner and the bar's manager and bartender, who came to her aid. The owner and manager were not arrested, although the manager was left on the sidewalk bleeding. The bartender was so badly beaten that he is still in County General Hospital, where he has undergone an operation to remove his ruptured spleen. He had gone 2 hours before being sent to the hospital. He was finally booked on a felony charge of assaulting an officer.

as the story goes.. the police raided the black cat on new years eve, 1967. the entered the bar beating and arresting everyone in the place. the police  then went to a second  bar @ 4001 sunset blvd, (now circus of books) and demanding to know who the owner was. someone pointed out they were at the bar. the police thought it was a gay man in drag, but in face the owner was a woman dressed very festive for new years eve.

the police threw her to the ground and beat her so badly she had to go to emergency. 

Two months after the raid, hundreds protested in front of the bar, carrying signs that read "Peace in Silver Lake," "No More Abuse of Our Rights and Dignity" and "Abolish Arbitrary Arrests."

this all took place february  20th,1967
@ the black cat now Le Barcito, (and soon to close permanently)
3909 W. Sunset Boulevard
Silverlake, CA

don't forget the past.... happy gay day- june 10th, 2012.

posted by rick castro- editor- antebellumblog