Citizens News Reports the California Hall Incidents Including Photos of Attendees and Police Action

Citizens News Reports the California Hall Incidents Including Photos of Attendees and Police Action

Citizen News, vol. 4, no. 7, published by Strait and Associates.

Repository: GLBT Historical Society

Page 1:
The Ball & After

The Council on Religion and the Homosexual held a costume ball at California Hall in San Francisco on the 1st of January.

The CRH is an organization dedicated, in part, to the establishment of a continuing dialogue between the clergy and the homosexuals. The reason for giving this ball was to obtain funds for the necessary expenses of this organization. Since it is involved in an unpopular cause, there are no municipal or other non-profit foundation organizations willing to be associated.

The ball was cleared with all the proper authorities before the event and a very large crowd was expected.

Unfortunately the ball was so heavily harassed by the San Francisco Police Department that only a portion of those who arranged for invitations crossed the picket line posted by the Police Department. About 550 of the homosexuals and their friends were brave enough to come into the place. This assured that the ball would not be a financial failure, but it was not a financial success.

However socially the ball was enjoyed by those 500 who did get into the building.

There was dancing on two levels with the twist, swim, jerk, etc. being the mode in the basement and the fox-trot prevailing on the upper-level.

Some of the costumes were comparable with the finest to be seen on Bourbon Street on Shrove Tuesday. There was Erick and the Countess as "Marie Antoinette and Louis"; There was B. Billings as "The New Year"; There was Michelle in one of his most fabulous costumes yet; There was The Franklin with balloons; There was J. Deare as "The Golden Girl"; There was an untold number of police posing as law-abiding citizens; There was no-one posing as a law-breaking policeman; There was Zelda as the most sparkling personality on the dance floor; There was an overflow of good costumery.

The food was furnished by the Coits, the bar was manned by The Tavern Guild, S.I.R. arranged for the decorations of the hall; Advertising was by Strait and Associates and the Mattachine Society of San Francisco.

Except for the unwarranted and obnoxious presence of the delegation from the Hall of Justice, the ball proceeded without a hitch and everyone had a good time.

There were two floor shows, one performed by Franklin, who had to combat the cops-and-robbers show that filled the hall, with lots of cops and not a criminal in the house.

Altho the party broke up early (about 1AM) there was no one who could not say they had not had a more unusual, if not enjoyable, experience.

There is considerable pressure on the CRH to repeat the ball at the first opportunity but the leaders of CRH insist that it is not in this field of endeavor that they want to be considered.

(Continued on page 2)

Page 2:
Police Action at the Ball
The Law, the Action and the Reaction

Prior to the holding of the Mardi Gras Ball at the California Hall in San Francisco, two ministers arranged a call on the Chief of Police. As is usual, the Chief was busy and could not see them and they were referred to the sex detail of the SFPD.

The Sex Detail was surprized that anyone would want to have anything to do with such undesirable people as homosexuals and were vitally interested
in the theology of anyone so interested, One of the ministers who attended the 'conference' felt he was being subjected to a discourse on theology rather than being briefed on police policy.

After this 'conference', a call was received by the ministers from the SFPD, saying that "No masks and NO costumes would be permitted to be worn at the ball.

Since this was an obvious violation (on the part of the police department) of
the California Penal Code, the ministers called a hasty meeting of the various homophile organizations.

(The California Penal Code reads as follows: 650a-WEARING OF MASKS PROHIBITED- It is a misdemeanor for any person, either alone or in company with others, to appear on any street or highway, or in other public places or any place open to view by the general public, with his face partially or
completely concealed by means of a mask or other regalia or paraphernalia, with intent thereby to conceal his identity. This section does not prohibit the wearing of such means of concealment in good faith for the 'purposes of amusement, entertaining or in compliance with any public health order."(Emphasis supplied)

Regarding costume:
(The law here is so vague that it is beyond description)
650 1/2 - Injuries to persons, property, Public peace, Health or decency; false personation for lewd purpose; -A person who willfully and wrongfully commits any act which ... openly outrages public decency or ... who with intent
of accomplishing any lewd or licentious purpose ... is guilty of a misdemeanor.")

The meeting called by the ministers had already decided to go ahead with the ball since it was only hours away when two men from the sex detail happened
to drop in.

A compromise was worked out with the police whereby the sponsors of the affair would see to it that the costumes were not paraded on the streets and that they would alight at the front door and immediately go into the hall.

This appeared to satisfy the police and they said then that there would be no
harassment of the affair so long as there was no other law violations.

Upon arrival at the Hall the ministers and others were amazed to find three
police photographers, dozens of police officers (in and out of uniform) and an
aggregation of police cars. The photographers (both movie and still) photographed everyone entering and leaving the hall. At first this caused consternation, but after one straight woman said, "Send me 30 copies", the rest of the people relaxed,

POLICE ACTION AT THE BALL
Persons arriving at the Mardi Gras Ball were greeted with such a display of police power as to scare away all but the most determined,

At one time there was an estimate of 35 uniformed officers and 15 plainclothesmen present.

Each person arriving was given a barrage of flood lights and cameramen. They
were police officers. One of the ministers, in assisting a person to depart, positioned himself in front of the photographer. He was warned that if he did this again he would be arrested.

At another time the editor of the Citizens News, Guy Strait, questioned the photographer as to his status. The photographer was reluctant to reveal his identity. When Mr. Strait approached another officer and made the statement,
"This guy says he is a police officer but refuses to show me his badge and I
will not refrain from blocking his camera until he does" the other officer said that he could vouch for the fact that the photographer was, in fact, a police officer. Later the photographer did show his badge to Mr. Strait.

After the harassment in front of the Hall had died down, due to the arrival of
most of the guests, some police officers attempted to enter the building, At this time two attorneys, hired by the CRH, protested their entry into a private party. They were promptly arrested for interfering with an officer in the performance of his duty, Then another attorney came to the rescue,
and he was also arrested.

A very slightly built woman was at the entry checking invitations. An officer in plainclothes came into the building. He was asked for his invitation by this
young lady. He said, "I am a police officer." When she asked to see his badge, she was also arrested.

Until this time, altho the police had long ago forced their entry into the hall, it
was strange to see how little interest they had in the persons in the hall.

About an hour after the entry had been forced, two plainclothesmen arrested two men for lewd conduct. They accused them of kissing in public. However witnesses in the vicinity do not agree with the statement of the police in this matter,

This was the last arrest made on the premises.

The departure from the hall was quiet, orderly and except for the police officer's photography (which is said to be poor) no further incidents were reported.

THE PICTURES ON PAGE THREE
#1-Inspector Toomey in white trenchcoat outside hall. The women in background were in the police party.
#2- Two plainclothesmen in-side the hall
#3-Police photographer outside the hall. Movie cameraman in background.
#4- Movie Cameraman spots another customer.

Page 3:

What Shall We Do Next? (Regarding the police action at the New Year's Mardi Gras Ball)

(Excerpts from an address to the Council on Religion and the Homosexual.)
We have all taken a courageous and public stand. We have ascribed to the belief that "This is a beginning and not an end to our determination to achieve full citizenship for homosexuals and all minorities, without discrimination and
intimidation."

It is our belief that the best way to realize this goal is to continue the confrontation which we have initiated on positive and effective levels of action. Therefore, it is essential that the Council on Religion and the Homosexual and all of the cooperating organizations consider the following
general program and this need for action.

Since the police and the political structure in general will continue these tactics, using the age-old and irrelevant moral arguments as a basis for the justice of what they are doing, when in fact the real object is to keep concerned organizations without a ready source of funds, and concerned individuals in a state of constant and paralysing fear, we must make this a civil rights issue which merits front page consideration and positive legal action.

Therefore, we must have another dance as soon as possible, using these guidelines for our action:

1) Prior publicity must be utilized to the fullest extent including delegations to see the Mayor and other important people, a deluge mailing campaign using all available mailing lists and a general form letter giving the facts and urging the recipient to write a personal letter to indicated public officials, press conferences, and the coordinated and effective use of other pressure and public relations tactics. We must clearly demonstrate that the police have illegally and deliberately interfered with a fund-raising social event held to benefit a program and organization dealing with meaningful social religious problems.

2) The dance itself must make use of the following clear realities;
a. Its date, location and purpose must be made a matter of public and police knowledge
b. Its set-up must be legal and so arranged that it is automatically a test of illegal police harassment.
c. Provisions must be made for bail and legal defense of all persons arrested.
d. The Homosexual Community must be induced to attend this event through a widespread campaign to convince them that this is their fight also. Invitation:
should include a propaganda sheet explaining the issues, the safeguards we will provide and an indication that if they can't afford to attend, they can at least afford to contribute.
e. Important people must be invited and induced to attend the affair including prominent lawyers, newspaper people, religious leaders and others.
f. Whatever the outcome, we must be able to use public relations techniques to assure that we come "smelling like roses."

4) ... This is the first time an act of public courage of this sort has ever been attempted by homosexuals anywhere in this country. We can hardly afford to do less ourselves, despite the fact that a new hall may be difficult to obtain, and despite the fact catering license could be contested, and despite the fact that the police will find ways to try to intimidate us. The good Mayor's statement made over television and filled with the usual phony-sacro-sanctimonious is what we can expect, but this is a fight we surely must win if we really believe we are right.
M. F,-San Francisco