More police reinforcements were called in as local gays and lesbians united in enraged confrontation. The crowd inside and outside the bar erupted in resistance as officers singled out patrons to load into waiting paddy wagons. Lesbians and gay men spontaneously fought back for the first time against police harassment. Raids on gay establishments, however, were common at the time. New York Beverage Control Board agents and city police officers raided the bar to enforce an alcohol control law that was seldom enforced anywhere else in the city. On the night of June 27 that year, a crowd gathered as usual at the Stonewall Inn, a popular gay bar in New York City's Greenwich Village. The origins of Pride Month can be traced back to a June weekend in New York City in 1969. We encourage our members from coast to coast to recognize the value of diversity and to use the occasion as an opportunity to build greater solidarity in support of human rights for all. NUPGE recognizes Pride Month for what it symbolizes in terms of freedom and equality.
The occasion is being marked across Canada and beyond with parades, dances, festivals and other events sponsored by local charities and volunteer organizations. Ottawa (8 June 2007) - The National Union of Public and General Employees (NUPGE) is pleased to join in supporting and celebrating June as Pride Month for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgendered people everywhere. NUPGE urges members to recognize and celebrate the value of diversity
