Compton’s Riot
Compton’s Cafeteria on Taylor Street in San Fransisco was a meeting place for the transgender community, for many bars [gay or otherwise] would not accept them for cross dressing was illegal at the time*. Also Compoton’s never closed, it stayed open 24 hours. One August night a group that gathered for dinner, became “raucous” so the police were alerted. When they arrived one cop tried to arrest one of the transgendered customers, who responded by throwing coffee into the policeman’s face, which commenced the riot. and eye-witness describes how everything was being thrown, including the salt shakers. Soon masses of LGBT supporters joined in. It continue into the next day, when the cafeteria announced there would be no admittance for transgendered people.
*police could use the presence of transgendered people to justify raid and/or closing a bar down.
