News (USA)

Boston St. Patrick’s Day parade organizers bar gay veterans group

Boston St. Patrick’s Day parade organizers bar gay veterans group

BOSTON — Boston’s mayor is hoping a deal can still be reached to allow a gay group to march in the city’s St. Patrick’s Day parade, even after organizers said they were deceived by a gay veterans group and ended negotiations.

APParticipants march in Boston's 2013 St. Patrick's Day parade.
AP
Participants march in Boston’s 2013 St. Patrick’s Day parade.

Philip Wuschke of parade organizer, the South Boston Allied War Veterans Council, announced Tuesday that discussions with MassEquality had ended and that the gay advocacy group would be prohibited from participating in the March 16 parade that attracts hundreds of thousands of spectators.

Organizers said in a statement that MassEquality tried to enter the parade “under false pretenses,” and claimed that LGBT Veterans for Equality, an affiliate of MassEquality, was not a recognized veterans’ organization.

Mayor Martin Walsh, an Irish-American, said he would boycott the parade unless gay groups were allowed to participate.

© 2014, Associated Press, All Rights Reserved.
This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

Don't forget to share:

Support vital LGBTQ+ journalism

Reader contributions help keep LGBTQ Nation free, so that queer people get the news they need, with stories that mainstream media often leaves out. Can you contribute today?

Cancel anytime · Proudly LGBTQ+ owned and operated

Studies show big promise for HIV prevention injections

Previous article

Ariz. lawmaker comes out: ‘I am gay, I’m a Latino, I’m a state senator and it’s OK’

Next article