3/15/10

2010 St. Patrick's Day Protest Press Advisory

Date: March 15, 2010
Contact: Emmaia Gelman 917-517-3627


IRISH QUEERS PROTEST ANTI-GAY NYC ST. PATRICK’S PARADE FOR 20TH YEAR;
PLAN TO FILE SUIT TO BAR NYPD AND FDNY FROM MARCHING.


What:

At annual protest against anti-gay NYC St. Patrick’s Day Parade, Irish Queers announce intention to file lawsuit barring uniformed NYPD and FDNY from marching in 2011 and future years.

Who:

Irish Queers, NYC-based group that has organized protest against the explicit homophobia of the NYC St. Patrick’s Parade over the past two decades. IQ is joined by representatives from the NYC lesbian, gay, bi and trans community, and other civil rights supporters.

When:

March 17, 2010 at 11am

Where:

Fifth Avenue at 57th Street (West side of the Avenue)

More info:

“For 20 years, the NYC St. Patrick’s Day parade has been a battleground where the religious right has tried to erase and exclude LGBT people,” said Tierney Gleason of Irish Queers. “Historically homophobic institutions like the NYPD and FDNY have happily supported that exclusion by marching in uniform and en masse in this anti-gay demonstration.”

“Fortunately, anti-gay discrimination is now illegal in both Ireland and New York City. The NYPD, FDNY and Mayor Bloomberg need to do some catching up. As city representatives, they cannot legally march in the parade until the organizers renounce the homophobic exclusion of LGBT Irish groups,” said JF Mulligan of Irish Queers.

New York City law protects LGBT people against discrimination by police, firefighters and other arms of city administration. The organizers of the NYC St. Patrick’s Day have affirmed, over and over, that their parade carries an explicitly anti-gay religious message. Irish Queers has long asserted that participation by uniformed members of the NYPD and FDNY, as well as New York City mayors and other officials, is a violation of city law.

Deepening the link between the NYPD and the parade organizers’ message, NYPD Commissioner Ray Kelly will lead this year’s parade as Grand Marshal.

Irish Queers meet year-round as members of both Irish and queer communities. IQ, which evolved out of the Irish Lesbian & Gay Organization, works for immigrant justice, Northern Ireland self-determination, anti-racism and other issues.

2 comments:

Good Luck with your protest and Law Suit. I wish some of you would post on this issue on the "Slugger O'Toole" political blog which has been discussing the issue today. I have already made the point there that if the Hibs wants to organise a sectairian and religious parade and exclude certain banners or badges, that they should do so at their own expense and not at that of the rate payer. Only if they are prepared to conform to human rights standards in keeping with this Millenium should they receive any kind of public funding or support. The organisers are an embarrasment to Ireland and Irish politicians visting Boston/New York should not attend.
Happy St Paddy's Day from Belfast
xx Eileen - (if you were here there would be no problem, I am still stunned that right wing homophobes can get away with this! In the fifties I dare saw Obama would not hae been welcome on their parade either.)

Obama would not be welcome in the Hibernian's parade today. They also have a ban on honoring politicians that support reproductive rights. This is a right wing parade through and through, but most Irish Americans won't challenge it. Their parade represents bigotry and supremacy masked as Irish culture.