LGBT Banner Banned From St. Patrick’s Day Parade

Organizers of the Staten Island St. Patrick’s Day Parade have made it clear that LGBT pride groups will not officially be a part of this year’s parade as LGBT banners are banned from the parade. This decision has pride groups fuming in anger.

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Each of the St. Patrick’s Day parades in New York City records an attendance of about two million people every year.

“Once again, we were denied an opportunity to march in the parade. Let me be very clear: this is discriminatory and vile,” executive director of the Pride Center of Staten Island Carol Bullock stated.

In solidarity with the LGBT community, New York City’s Democratic Mayor Eric Adams said that he would not be attending the parade. Instead, he said he would be paying a visit to the Rainbow Run, an LGBT pride event to be held the same day.

Adams’ protest is, however, not a full boycott, as he will be joining a St. Patrick’s Day Parade in Queens after leaving Rainbow Run.

Jody’s Club Forest, which has hosted a local politician breakfast every year for the past 30 years, has also pulled out from the event.

“It’s always been about the parade and now it’s not about the parade,” Owner Terrence Haggerty said, explaining the cancellation.

Beyond denying the pride group access to the parade, Bullock accused the event’s organizer of inappropriate treatment. According to Carol, Cummins had pushed the photographer from a local publication who was trying to capture the group submitting an application.

While supporters of LGBT groups have condemned organizers’ rejection of the pride group’s participation in the parade, organizers maintain the parade is not meant to push any form of gender identity agenda.

“We’re a not-for-profit that does amazing work. We provide mental health counseling, we provide programming for seniors and youth,” Bullock said, clarifying the parade’s purpose.

This will not be the first time Adams will boycott the parade. Last year, he, alongside Staten Island’s district attorney Michael E. McMahon and other elected officials, opted out of the celebration. 

“We are still hopeful that the organizers of the Staten Island St. Patrick’s Day Parade will see the need for inclusion in our celebrations of cultural heritage and allow members of the LGBTQ+ community to participate. Until that time, the mayor will not participate in the parade,” his spokesman had said at the time.

No Gay Groups In This St Patrick’s Day New York Parade