Harvey’s Bar (500 Castro St)

Harvey Milk was assassinated by Dan White, a police officer himself, Dan eventually turned himself in to the police. He was arrested and put on trial. White’s murder chargers were lowered to voluntary manslaughter, for which he was sentenced for seven years and eight months’ time in prison. With time off for good behavior, he was out in five years. The night of his conviction, starting in the Castro a peaceful protest marched to City Hall. By nightfall the protests turned more violent, breaking windows, setting Police cars on fire. Considered one of the most violent gay-run protests, the night became known as the White Night Riots.

Later that same night, the police decided to retaliate. Two dozen officers stormed the glass windows of this bar, then called the Elephant Walk, around 1:00 a.m. They had allegedly covered their badges with black tape, breaking the windows and beating the patrons inside as a rebuttal to the downtown riots. In the end, no one was prosecuted for either the riots or illegal police raid.