Raid Reported in Next Morning’s San Francisco Chronicle
Dublin Core
Title
Raid Reported in Next Morning’s San Francisco Chronicle
Description
San Francisco Chronicle, January, 2, 1965, page 12.
Source
Repository: San Francisco Public Library
Text Item Type Metadata
Text
Cops Invade Homosexual Benefit Ball
The police moved in on a homosexual benefit ball sponsored by Protestant ministers last night—and arrested two attorneys who protested.
The affair was conducted by the Council for Religion and the Homosexual, which has been established by Episcopal, Methodist, Lutheran and United Church of Christ leaders to try to integrate homosexuals into the Christian community.
Three police cars were stationed outside the scene at California Hall, Polk street and Golden Gate avenue, and a police photographer took pictures of arriving homosexuals and their friends, the ministers said.
At about 10p.m. Inspectors Rudolph Nieto and Richard Castro, from the sex crimes detail, entered the hall, but were met by two attorneys for the council, Evander Smith, 42, with offers at 333 Franklin street, and Herbert Donaldson, 37, of 6 Lloyd street.
They advised the inspectors they had no right to inspect the private party without a search warrant, said the Rev. Ted McIlvenna of the Glide Foundation, one of the sponsoring organizations.
The attorneys were arrested on charges of interfering with police officers in the performance of their duty and taken to Northern Station.
The Rev. Lewis E. Durham, program director of the Foundation, and the Right Rev. James A. Poke, Episcopal Bishop of California, talked over the plans with Police Chief Thomas Cahill last week—but the police later tried to "persuade the operators of California Hall to cancel the rental agreement with the council.
Ministers on hand when the police moved in included the Rev. Clarence Colwell, United Church of Christ, the Rev. A. Cecil Williams, a Methodist director of the Foundations Church and Community section, the Rev. Charles Lewis of the Lutheran North Reach Mission and Canon Robert Romey of Grace Cathedral.
The Rev. Mr. Durham said the police action was a surprise because "we thought the whole thing had calmed down."
The police moved in on a homosexual benefit ball sponsored by Protestant ministers last night—and arrested two attorneys who protested.
The affair was conducted by the Council for Religion and the Homosexual, which has been established by Episcopal, Methodist, Lutheran and United Church of Christ leaders to try to integrate homosexuals into the Christian community.
Three police cars were stationed outside the scene at California Hall, Polk street and Golden Gate avenue, and a police photographer took pictures of arriving homosexuals and their friends, the ministers said.
At about 10p.m. Inspectors Rudolph Nieto and Richard Castro, from the sex crimes detail, entered the hall, but were met by two attorneys for the council, Evander Smith, 42, with offers at 333 Franklin street, and Herbert Donaldson, 37, of 6 Lloyd street.
They advised the inspectors they had no right to inspect the private party without a search warrant, said the Rev. Ted McIlvenna of the Glide Foundation, one of the sponsoring organizations.
The attorneys were arrested on charges of interfering with police officers in the performance of their duty and taken to Northern Station.
The Rev. Lewis E. Durham, program director of the Foundation, and the Right Rev. James A. Poke, Episcopal Bishop of California, talked over the plans with Police Chief Thomas Cahill last week—but the police later tried to "persuade the operators of California Hall to cancel the rental agreement with the council.
Ministers on hand when the police moved in included the Rev. Clarence Colwell, United Church of Christ, the Rev. A. Cecil Williams, a Methodist director of the Foundations Church and Community section, the Rev. Charles Lewis of the Lutheran North Reach Mission and Canon Robert Romey of Grace Cathedral.
The Rev. Mr. Durham said the police action was a surprise because "we thought the whole thing had calmed down."
Citation
“Raid Reported in Next Morning’s San Francisco Chronicle”, The Council on Religion and the Homosexual, LGBTQ Religious Archives Network, accessed May 18, 2024, https://exhibits.lgbtran.org/exhibits/show/crh/item/1774.