 For a long time, it had been illegal to serve drinks to LGBTQ people, and it was still a hassle to own a bar where they gathered. So it makes sense that Stonewall's owners were in the mafia and likely paying off beat cops to leave them alone, or at least to give warning of a raid. But that wasn't foolproof. On June 28, 1969, the police rolled up unexpectedly at one in the morning. They walked into the bar, flipped on the lights, and started checking ID.