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Stonewall Anniversary Unites Police, Patrons

Arturo's Restaurant hosts reunion of retired police officers Frank Toscano (left), Frank Belloti and Richie Carletti.
Margot Adler, NPR /
Arturo's Restaurant hosts reunion of retired police officers Frank Toscano (left), Frank Belloti and Richie Carletti.
Frank Toscano's play being read at a Manhattan playhouse.
Margot Adler, NPR /
Frank Toscano's play being read at a Manhattan playhouse.
Frank Toscano with Williamson Henderson, president of the STONEWALL Veterans Association.
Margot Adler, NPR /
Frank Toscano with Williamson Henderson, president of the STONEWALL Veterans Association.

One night 35 years ago, the Stonewall Inn -- a mafia-run gay bar in Greenwich Village -- was the scene for protests against police harassment. The events of that night, and the days of demonstrations that followed, became a catalyst for the gay rights movement.

Decades later, those who were there remember the night's dramatic events well -- both the Stonewall veterans of those first gay rights protests as well as the police officers called to the scene.

But until now, the story of Stonewall has never been told from the point of view of the street cops. Now those men have held a reunion, and retired officer Frank Toscano has also written a screenplay about that night.

NPR's Margot Adler attended the meeting to speak with Toscano, his former colleagues and their new friends.

Copyright 2022 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.

Margot Adler died on July 28, 2014 at her home in New York City. She was 68 and had been battling cancer. Listen to NPR Correspondent David Folkenflik's retrospective on her life and career

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SOMOS CONNECTICUT is an initiative from Connecticut Public, the state’s local NPR and PBS station, to elevate Latino stories and expand programming that uplifts and informs our Latino communities. Visit CTPublic.org/latino for more stories and resources. For updates, sign up for the SOMOS CONNECTICUT newsletter at ctpublic.org/newsletters.

SOMOS CONNECTICUT es una iniciativa de Connecticut Public, la emisora local de NPR y PBS del estado, que busca elevar nuestras historias latinas y expandir programación que alza y informa nuestras comunidades latinas locales. Visita CTPublic.org/latino para más reportajes y recursos. Para noticias, suscríbase a nuestro boletín informativo en ctpublic.org/newsletters.

The independent journalism and non-commercial programming you rely on every day is in danger.

If you’re reading this, you believe in trusted journalism and in learning without paywalls. You value access to educational content kids love and enriching cultural programming.

Now all of that is at risk.

Federal funding for public media is under threat and if it goes, the impact to our communities will be devastating.

Together, we can defend it. It’s time to protect what matters.

Your voice has protected public media before. Now, it’s needed again. Learn how you can protect the news and programming you depend on.