Marginalized gay patrons, not activists, launched the Stonewall resistance.

Evidence

Once the police wagon set off for the precinct house, a taunting crowd of drag queens, cross-dressing lesbians, and teenage hustlers gathered across the street in Sheridan Square and turned aggressive. An anonymous writer for Rat happened to pass by the Stonewall around 1:00 a.m. and found the patrons hurling all manner of debris at the remaining cops. — J. Hoberman, Everything Is Now, 1458