Black Cat bar in Silver Lake is California historic landmark
qvoicenews.comShortly after midnight on Jan. 1, 1967, as balloons dropped from the ceiling to mark the New Year at the Black Cat, undercover Los Angeles police officers, who were waiting for the right moment to pounce.
Moments later, they did, ripping holiday decorations from the wall, beat and arrested 14 people at the popular Silver Lake gay bar.
Six people were booked and eventually charged with lewd conduct because they were kissing. Six weeks later, on Feb. 11, hundreds of demonstrators picketed in front of the Black Cat and demanded the Los Angeles Police Department stop attacking and arresting gay people.
Protestors carried signs that read “End Illegal Entrapment,” “Peace in Silver Lake” and “Police Lawlessness Must Be Stopped.” While the Black Cat protest didn’t change Los Angeles police policy toward the gay community, it was one of the first public demonstrations by the gay community against police brutality.
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