The riot started when a police officer tried to arrest a transwoman for drinking a cup of coffee at Compton's, and she responded by throwing the coffee into his face. Within minutes, other trans women had joined in, throwing chairs and smashing windows. The next night, the group reunited to picket in front of Compton's.
The 24-hour eatery provided a well-lit and comfortable haven for trans women performing in clubs or walking the streets in San Francisco's Tenderloin neighborhood. The Tenderloin,