During the Halloween festivities of 1969, nine young people were arrested without explanation while leaving the Onyx Room, one of the most popular gay bars of the time. At the station they were charged for "masquerading" (i.e. appearing publicly in women's clothing). Dressing in clothing not in accordance with one's perceived sex had been prohibited by a municipal ordinance since 1864. Arrests at LGBT establishments were common, but the events of that Halloween ignited the first recorded protest by gay activists in St. Louis. The Mandrake Society, the first gay rights group of St. Louis, mobilized the community. They spread news of the arrests by phone to gather supporters at police headquarters, assisted with bail, and hired legal representation. The charges were eventually dropped, marking a significant victory for St. Louis gay rights activists. The 1969 Halloween arrests are sometimes referred to as "St. Louis' Stonewall" because of its importance as a flash-point of community resistance and organization.