#LGBTQ: Teen Charged After Smashing Stonewall Inn Window & Neon With a Baseball Bat

William Gomez, 19, was thrown out of The Stonewall Inn on Frday night. Before he was hanging out with friends when he was reportedly thrown out for belligerence. He returned with a baseball bat about 4:30AM and smashed the bar’s window and damaged the neon sign causing $7,000 worth of damage.

Police arrested him nearby, charging him with criminal mischief and reckless endangerment. Gomez is straight, and is expecting a child with his girlfriend and has been arrested multiple times in the past.

His mother told the NY Daily News,

“At one point he was punched in the face. He’s a quiet boy. He doesn’t get into trouble.“

Authorities say he will not face hate crime charges as they believe his outburst was not motivated by homophobia.

When the bar reopened on Saturday, the window and sign were already fixed.

The Stonewall was landmarked by the city in 2015 for its role as the birthplace of the modern LGBTI rights movement. Judy Garland‘s daughter, Lorna Left posed at the Inn just last month for gay pride and had this to say,

“49 years ago today is the anniversary of an incredible historic few days in 1969 and has now become #StonewallDay. The Stonewall uprising was a remarkable beginning for humanity. Over the past 49 years, I have heard many stories about why the uprising happened on this night and have heard from people who were there. I have also heard from people who were told stories of what lit the embers thy at became the fire, now known as the Stonewall riots.

What I have learned in these past 49 years is that no matter the story, the most important thing to remember today is it happened!!! And that an amazing group of people stood up for their rights and said, “no more!!!

Today we must remember how proud and honored we all are to everyone that was involved in the Stonewall uprising. So please take a moment today and say thank you, thank you for your courage, thank you for your passion, and thank you for standing up for your rights!!!

I am so incredibly honored to be on the board of the #StonewallInnGivesBackInitiative. I stand with the #LGBTQ community today, tomorrow, and forever! Let us keep our arms locked together and march forward and never, ever, go backwards!”

Love,
L