Author. Activist. Disabled. Queer. Defective manic pixie dream girl.
![Van Ronk was among 13 people arrested at the Stonewall Inn June 28, 1969, the night of the Stonewall Riots, which is widely credited as the spark of the contemporary gay rights movement. He had been dining at a neighboring restaurant and joined the riot against the police occupation of the club and was dragged from the crowd into the building by police deputy inspector Seymour Pine.[11][12][13] The police slapped and punched Van Ronk to the point of near unconsciousness, handcuffed him to a radiator near the doorway, and charged him with assault.[14] Recalling the expanding riot, Van Ronk said, "There were more people out there [outside the building] when I came out than when I went in. Things were still flying through the air, cacophony—I mean, just screaming and yelling, sirens, strobe lights, the whole spaghetti."[15] The next day, he was arrested and later released on his own recognizance for having thrown a heavy object at a police officer.[16] City records show he was charged with felony assault in the second degree[17] and pleaded guilty to the lesser charge of harassment, classified in 1969 as a violation under PL 240.25.](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:eg67bvrxrcfdeefijazb7mw4/bafkreidtphrvnpkvxh6t2tiwpoqcoiiiho2rlox5gvuvicjlm3ov66bm3i)
Author. Activist. Disabled. Queer. Defective manic pixie dream girl.