A year earlier, the June 1969 uprising by young gays, lesbians and transgender people in New York City, clashing with police near The Stonewall Inn, was a vital catalyst in expanding LGBT activism nationwide and abroad. 'We cannot be in the business of picking and choosing which LGBT members are worthy of marching out and proud that goes against the very nature of our community,' he explained last week.Īn NYPD officer, left, grabs a youth by the hair as another officer clubs a young man during a confrontation in Manhattan's Greenwich Village in August 1970. The same day that statement was issued, Long Island’s Pride organizer, David Kilmnick, affirmed his support for police participation. 'The sense of safety that law enforcement is meant to provide can instead be threatening, and at times dangerous, to those in our community,' the statement said, adding: 'NYC Pride is unwilling to contribute in any way to creating an atmosphere of fear or harm for members of the community.' By clicking Sign up, you agree to our privacy policy.
