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Boston cops cancel Gay Pride permit

Thousands march in defiance

By Frank Neisser
Boston

On June 13, the Boston police revoked the permit for the annual Lesbian, Gay, Bi, Trans Pride march and rally-because of the weather, they said. The cops reportedly threatened to arrest anyone who tried to march.

But in defiance of both the police and a torrential rainstorm, thousands of proud lesbians, gays, bisexuals and trans people marched through the streets. Their chants of "Cops say get back, we say fight back" thundered as loud as the storm.

The march was led by a "Stonewall Means Fight Back" float created by Workers World Party and the National People's Campaign.

It was indeed one of the rainiest days in recent memory.

All the TV and radio stations had announced all morning that the Pride march was called off.

But thousands of would-be marchers showed up at Copley Square anyway. And they simply would not go home.

That's when organizers from WWP and the NPC showed up with their Stonewall float and created a clap of political thunder.

Leslie Feinberg, a national leader in the lesbian, gay, bi, trans movement and this year's grand marshal of Boston Pride, spoke over a loudspeaker as the float led a slowmoving street meeting.

Feinberg announced that in the spirit of the 1969 Stonewall Rebellion against police brutality--which, she noted, did not require a police permit--a march would soon begin.

The response from the crowds along the sidewalks was electrifying. People cheered and raised clenched fists high.

Pride takes the streets

At 12:30, the float circled back to the gathering site. There, Feinberg asked the crowd to weigh in on the negotiations with cops, who were telling organizers they couldn't march.

Thousands moved from the sidewalks into the street behind the float, roaring, "The streets belong to the people!"

Lesbians and gays on motorcycles led the float.

A large "gay and sober" contingent was one of the first to join the march.

The lead contingent behind the float was from the United American Indians of New England. Their lead banner read, "Homophobia is not Native to these shores."

This contingent included many of the Plymouth 25--arrested when cops attacked the National Day of Mourning in Plymouth, Mass., last November. The 25 include lesbian, gay and trans defendants.

Raven, a Lenape woman from Fort Washington, Ohio, marched with her son Cley, who is a Plymouth 25 defendant, her daughter Page and their young friends Apryl and Semantha. Raven said it was one of the best days of her life--fighting back against a common enemy.

Police barred a long line of Pride floats and cars from joining the march. But the Asian Pacific Islander contingent slipped their float in past the cops.

The contingent from Lawrence, Mass., got a particularly

loud welcome from marchers. The first Lawrence Pride march-scheduled for June 14--was under right-wing attack. Reactionaries announced they would bus children out of the city on the day of the Pride march.

The Stonewall march followed the traditional Pride route, picking up strength as it went. Elated passersby and people in restaurants and offices cheer ed the demonstrators' fighting spirit. Motorists honked in support.

As the march passed, the Arlington Street Church bells pealed in a salute. Trolley operators clanged in solidarity.

Rally in a deluge

From the chants to the political raps along the route of march, the overriding theme was the need to unify all struggles against oppression.

One of the demonstration's striking characteristics was its diversity. The march was thoroughly multinational. Protesters included all sexes, genders and ages. Deaf and disabled people took part.

When marchers arrived at the Boston Common for a rally, unity continued to be the theme.

Speakers included Sabrina Taylor and Eric Pliner, co-chairs of the Pride Committee; Imani Henry, political liaison of the Committee and member of Workers World Party; and Judah Abaijah Dorrington, Pride Committee member--all of whom helped coordinate the march.

Taylor and Pliner saluted the crowd for upholding the true spirit of Stonewall.

Ingrid Rivera, organizer of the Lawrence march and facilitator for the Gay and Lesbian Community Advocates of Lawrence, told the crowd about her group's determination to hold a successful rally in the face of right-wing pressure.

Feinberg chaired the rally. She said the Stonewall Rebellion, led by Black and Latina drag queens, was an example of how people who have different identities and different grievances can forge a powerful coalition to fight a common enemy.

Feinberg said the Plymouth 25 defendants, like the Stone wall combatants, are also battling police brutality. When asked to put the muscle of the lesbian/gay/ bi/ trans communities behind the demand to drop the charges against the Plymouth 25, the crowd cheered in assent.

Faisal Alam of the Massachusetts Asian AIDS Prevention Project called for unity in the struggle against the impact of the AIDS crisis on Asian and Pacific Islanders and all people of color.

Other speakers included Rebecca Durkee, a leading trans activist from Transgender Education Network, and representatives of youth organizations.

The crowd applauded the call from one speaker to boycott Starbucks Coffee for its anti-labor actions.

As the downpour grew more intense, the rally was brought to a close. Yet many remained, talking animatedly.

It was a Stonewall March the lesbian, gay, bi and trans communities of Boston--and particularly those present--will never forget.

(Copyright Workers World Service: Permission to reprint granted if source is cited. For more information contact Workers World, 55 W. 17 St., NY,NY 10011; via e-mail:ww@workers.org. For subscription info send message to:info@workers.org. Web:http://www.workers.org)

Copyright © 1998 workers.org