NYC to Weigh Landmarking Stonewall Inn, Gay Rights Beacon

Officials are considering whether to make the Stonewall Inn a city landmark, granting recognition to a powerful symbol of the gay rights movement.

The New York Times says the Landmarks Preservation Commission is set to vote Tuesday on taking a first step: adding the property to its calendar. The Greenwich Village tavern would be the first landmark honored specifically for its role in the city's gay history.

Commission Chairwoman Meenakshi Srinivasan calls it an "iconic cultural landmark.'' The Gay City News first reported the commission's consideration.

A June 1969 police raid at the Stonewall Inn became a formative moment in the gay rights movement. Patrons fought with officers, and several days of demonstrations followed.

The property is already in a historic district, but individual landmarking would add protections.