1966 THROWBACK: “SUNSET STRIP CURFEW RIOT“

By the mid 1960s, The Sunset Strip had become a place dominated by young members of the hippie and rock and roll counterculture. While this brought many artistic initiatives to the neighborhood, problems simultaneously arose in the form of alcohol and drug abuse and the disturbance of traffic. In 1966, the city’s administration implemented a handful of measures to curtail the growing nuisance. They targeted the Strip’s most prominent rock club, the Whisky a Go Go, forcing its managers to change its name to the Whisk . Furthermore, annoyed residents and business owners in the district had encouraged the passage of strict (10:00 p.m.) curfew and loitering laws to reduce the traffic congestion resulting from crowds of young club patrons. This was perceived by young, local rock music fans as an infringement on their civil rights, and for weeks tensions and protests swelled. On Saturday, November 12, 1966, fliers were distributed along the Strip inviting people to demonstrate l