Stop the Church

This was ACT UP’s most notorious demonstration and the one that brought it worldwide attention for the first time.  Held in collaboration with WHAM! (Women’s Health and Action Mobilization) to protest the AIDSphobic, homophobic, misogynistic and anti-abortion policies of the Catholic Church and, in particular, John Cardinal O’Connor, Archbishop of New York.  Over 7,000 protestors gathered in the bitter cold on December 10, 1989 outside St. Patrick’s Cathedral in New York.  Several hundred protestors peacefully entered the church and 111 were arrested for disrupting the mass.

Documentation

Pre-Action meeting to plan the Stop the Church Action that occurred December 10, 1989. Also contains footage of demonstrations predominantly outside the Church, with some footage inside St. Patrick's Cathedral with Cardinal O'Connor before the civil disobedience actions and arrests of demonstrators. Shot by Ellen Spiro. (NYPL Tape #01292)

December 10, 1989 Footage shot outside St. Patrick's Cathedral, New York City during the Stop the Church action co-sponsored by ACT UP and WHAM! The footage includes interviews with Bree Scott-Hartland, Tom Duane, Migali Jimenez, and Lourdes Quiñones. Shot by Testing the Limits. (NYPL Tape #1747)

December 10, 1989 Footage shot outside St. Patrick's Cathedral, New York City during the Stop the Church action co-sponsored by ACT UP and WHAM! Includes an interview with Ray Navarro as Jesus Christ. Shot by Testing the Limits. (NYPL Tape #1748)

 

December 10, 1989 Footage shot outside St. Patrick's Cathedral, New York City during the Stop the Church action co-sponsored by ACT UP and WHAM! Sit-in on 5th Avenue, Jon Nalley, Rebecca Cole interviews. Shot by Testing the Limits. (NYPL Tape #1750)

Footage shot outside St. Patrick's Cathedral, City during the Stop the Church action. Includes interviews with Ray Navarro as Jesus, Ron Goldberg, Lei Chou, Karen Ramspacher. Shot by Testing the Limits. (NYPL Tape #1753)

December 10, 1989 Footage shot outside St. Patrick's Cathedral and demonstrators being arrested and carried out on stretchers from the church. Interviews with clowns from Operation Ridiculous, Lola Flash, and Ken Bing. Shot by Testing the Limits. (NYPL Tape #1754)

 

December 10, 1989 Footage shot outside St. Patrick's Cathedral during the Stop the Church action. Includes interviews with Sarah Schulman, Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence, Mike Frisch, Jim Serafini, Bob Rafsky and Marvin Palmer. Also, interviews about arrests and undercover cops. Shot by Testing the Limits. (NYPL Tape #1755)

Footage shot outside St. Patrick's Cathedral at the ACT UP/WHAM! Stop the Church Demonstration on December 10, 1989.

This video was made by DIVA TV (Damned Interfering Activist Television), an affinity group of ACT UP. DIVA TV consisted of a core group of 10-12 members, with as many as 40 videomakers contributing video. DIVA TV was formed in 1989 and made 3 tapes: Target City Hall, Like a Prayer and Pride '69 - '89.

Printed Matter

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