Editing The Doors (section)

=== New Haven incident (December 1967) ===
[[File:MorrisonJim.jpg|thumb|Morrison's mugshot taken in [[New Haven, Connecticut|New Haven]]]]
On December 9, 1967, the Doors performed a now-infamous concert at [[New Haven Arena]] in [[New Haven, Connecticut]], which ended abruptly when Morrison was arrested by local police.<ref>{{Cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1967/12/11/archives/new-haven-police-close-the-doors-use-of-mace-reported.html?sq=Jim+Morrison+New+Haven&scp=2&st=p |title=New Haven Police Close 'The Doors'; Use of Mace Reported |date=December 10, 1967 |newspaper=[[The New York Times]] |access-date=November 21, 2010}}</ref> Morrison became the first rock artist to be arrested onstage during a live performance.{{sfn|Riordan|Prochnicky|1991|p=20}}{{sfn|Davis|2005|p=216}} Prior to the start of the concert, Morrison was either having a private conversation with{{sfn|Gaar|2015|pp=48–49}} or kissing a female fan backstage in a bathroom shower stall when a police officer happened upon them.{{sfn|Krieger|2021|pp=27–28}} Unaware that he was the lead singer of the band, the officer told Morrison and the fan to leave, to which Morrison said, "Eat it." The policeman took out a can of [[Mace (spray)|mace]] and warned Morrison, "Last chance", to which Morrison replied, "Last chance to eat it."{{sfn|Hopkins|Sugerman|1980|p=160}}{{sfn|Riordan|Prochnicky|1991|p=202}} There is some discrepancy as to what happened next: according to ''[[No One Here Gets Out Alive]]'', the fan ran away and Morrison was maced; but Manzarek recounts in his book that both Morrison and the fan were sprayed.{{sfn|Hopkins|Sugerman|1980|p=160}}{{sfn|Manzarek|1998|p=272}}<ref>{{Cite web |url={{AllMusic|class=artist|id=p13722|pure_url=yes}} |title=Jim Morrison – Biography |last=Huey |first=Steve |website=AllMusic |access-date=January 1, 2009}}</ref>

The Doors' main act was delayed for an hour while Morrison recovered, after which the band took the stage very late. According to music journalist Gillian G. Gaar, the police still did not consider the issue resolved and wanted to charge him. Halfway through the first set, Morrison proceeded to create an improvised song about his experience with the "little man in blue".{{sfn|Gaar|2015|pp=48–49}} It was an obscenity-laced account to the audience, describing what had happened backstage and taunting the police, who were surrounding the stage.{{sfn|Weidman|2011|p=266}}<ref>{{cite web |first=Sterling |last=Whitaker |date=December 9, 2015 |title=Why Jim Morrison Got Arrested Onstage in New Haven |url=https://ultimateclassicrock.com/jim-morrison-maced-and-arrested-in-new-haven/ |website=Ultimate Classic Rock |access-date=November 20, 2021}}</ref> Later, the police lieutenant approached Morrison, during which Morrison thrust the microphone against his mouth and remarked, "Say your thing, man."{{sfn|Krieger|2021|pp=27–28}}{{sfn|Weidman|2011|p=266}} The concert came to an abrupt end when Morrison was dragged from the stage by the police. The audience, already restless from waiting so long for the band to perform, became unruly. Morrison was taken to a local police station, photographed and booked on charges of inciting a riot, indecency and public obscenity. Charges against Morrison, as well as those against three journalists also arrested in the incident ([[Mike Zwerin]], Yvonne Chabrier and [[Tim Page (photographer)|Tim Page]]), were dropped several weeks later for lack of evidence.{{sfn|Davis|2005|p=216}}{{sfn|Manzarek|1998|p=272}}