Excerpt:
Bouquets of flowers and police surrounded the Stonewall Inn, a gay rights landmark in New York City. In June 1969, LGBT patrons of the inn clashed with New York City police, leading to a wave of equal rights demonstrations. But since the weekend's slaughter at a gay nightclub in Orlando, Florida, that left 49 people dead, New York's finest have been on the alert to protect LGBT sites in the city.
The gay community came together for vigils at the renowned watering hole. Signs proclaiming gay rights and denouncing anti-gay bashing were in the Stonewall's front window; the news media clogged the sidewalk outside.
Janet Sarno, a resident of Greenwich Village, described the Orlando horror as a "little step back." She added, "I found out it was a gay bar, my heart sunk because I have many gay friends that I love dearly. I felt we had made great strides in advancing their cause."