Violence at City Hall White Night riots

rioters causing property damage @ civic center plaza. burning police cruisers seen in background. image credit: daniel nicoletta.

by time crowd reached city hall numbers had increased on 5,000. protesters shouted slogans such kill dan white! , dump dianne! , reference mayor dianne feinstein. handful of police officers on duty @ scene uncertain how deal situation, , police department, unaccustomed angry gay crowd, uncertain of how proceed. protesters convinced police , prosecution had conspired avoid severe sentence white, although prosecutor thomas norman denied repeatedly until death.

members of crowd tore gilded ornamental work building s wrought iron doors , used break first floor windows. several of harvey milk s friends monitored , attempted hold crowd, including former lover scott smith. formation of police appeared on north side of civic center plaza, , attempting hold mob sat down, grateful reinforcements. officers did not restrain holding crowd, , instead attacked them night sticks.

one young man kicked , smashed window of police car, lit pack of matches, , set upholstery on fire. after burning short time, fuel tank exploded; dozen more police cars , 8 other automobiles destroyed in similar fashion. photo on front cover of dead kennedys 1980 album fresh fruit rotting vegetables, shows several police cars on fire, taken night. several crowd members threw tear gas, had stolen police vehicles. riots began break out, 1 mob disrupting traffic. electric trollies disabled when overhead wires pulled down, , violence broke out against police officers, outnumbered. police chief charles gain, standing inside city hall, ordered officers not attack , stand ground.

mayor feinstein , supervisor carol ruth silver addressed demonstrators in attempt defuse situation. mayor feinstein said had received news of verdict disbelief , , supervisor silver stated, dan white has gotten away murder. s simple that. silver injured when struck flying object. more 140 protesters injured.

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