New York politicians were out in full force for Pride Sunday – after the NYPD said it was beefing up security in anticipation of the event.
Spotted among the amalgam of drag queens and activists marching down Fifth Avenue were figures like Eric Adams, Kathy Hochul, and Chuck Schumer – three of roughly 100,000 participants taking part in the parade’s main procession.
This year’s march – the 53rd in the city’s history – is expected to draw roughly a million spectators, while featuring some 60 floats that speak to the LGBTQ situation not only in New York, but across the country.
Other notable figures to take part in the revelry included Reverend Al Sharpton and New York Attorney General Letitia James, who joined Gov. Hochul as she took the time to address members of the crowd.
Meanwhile, both a literal and figurative dark cloud were cast over the festivities thanks to tenuous forecasts from not only the city’s police force, but its meteorologists – with a storm poised to slam Manhattan around 4pm.
New York politicians such as Eric Adams were out in full force for Pride Sunday – after the NYPD said it was beefing up security in anticipation of the event
Notable figures taking part in the colorful procession included Governor Kathy Hochul, Chuck Schumer, Reverend Al Sharpton and New York Attorney General Letitia James, who joined the governor as addressed members of the crowd
The parade comes as over the last few weeks, several Pride flags and transgender Pride flags stationed across the city have been ripped down and destroyed
The streets of Manhattan transformed into a sea of rainbows with New Yorkers proudly proclaiming their love, acceptance and celebration of the LGBTQ community
Members of the LGBTQ community, their allies and elected officials marched from Fifth Avenue through Greenwich Village
Approximately 1 million people lined the streets of Manhattan on Sunday to celebrate Pride
That said, in the interim, residents and revelers made the most of weather seen in the earlier part of the day – attending an array of outdoor parties that sprouted up all across the city.
Signage plastered throughout the parade’s planned route, meanwhile, touted how the city was ‘protecting LGBTQ+ New Yorkers’ during the festivities – a stance reiterated by Hochul and several the city tabbed to preside over the event.
Included in that class were this year’s grand marshals – activists Yasmin Benoit, AC Dumlao, Randolfe ‘Randy’ Wicker, Billy Porter and Hope Giselle.
Those figures, as well as the aforementioned politicians, all sought to prop this year’s ‘Strength in Solidarity’ theme with their own statements and colorful photo-ops – amid an alleged outpour of anti-LGBTQ sentiment in recent years.
Always slated toward the end of June, the parade, as always, also commemorated the 1969 uprising by New York’s LGBTQ+ communities known as the Stonewall Rebellion – while preaching the continued importance of LGBTQ+ rights.
Sue Doster, co-chairperson of the city-funded Pride organization, earlier in the week explained that organizers were thrusting a spotlight on the rights associated with those of the trans community, whom have been the targets of Republican legislation as of late.
Speaking of city and state-led campaigns that have sought to bar things like drag story hours geared toward kids, Doster said: ‘They’re attacking these people because they’re less likely to stand up and fight back.
‘[This] is why it’s important that we all come together in solidarity and speak up when we see these injustices.’
Spotted among the amalgam of drag queens and activists marching down Fifth Avenue were figures like Adams – one of roughly 100,000 participants in the parade that cops have warned comes ‘amid an elevated threat environment worldwide’ involving the gay community
People in Pride colors attend and march during the 2023 New York City Pride on Sunday
This year’s march – the 53rd in the city’s history – is expected to draw roughly a million spectators, while featuring some 60 floats that speak to the LGBTQ situation not only in New York, but across the country
Signage plastered throughout the parade’s planned route, meanwhile, touted how the city was ‘protecting LGBTQ+ New Yorkers’ during the festivities – a stance reiterated by Hochul and several others the city tabbed to preside over the event
Senator Chuck Schumer is seen posing with a citizen while marching down a cordoned off Fifth Avenue on Sunday
Attorney General of New York Letitia James is seen attending the 2023 New York City Pride March Sunday
Also in attendance were this year’s parade grand marshals, which included activist Hope Giselle (pictured)
While there were no specific threats to Manhattan’s march by the time it started , an assessment by the NYPD noted the event will take place ‘amid an elevated threat environment worldwide’ involving the gay and trans communities – and would thus require heightened security
Always slated toward the end of June, the parade, as always, also commemorated the 1969 uprising by New York’s LGBTQ+ communities known as the Stonewall Rebellion – while preaching the continued importance of LGBTQ+ rights
Various New York agencies also attended the event – proudly making their presence known as they marched from Fifth Avenue, through Greenwich Village, toward Chelsea
Each year, the city explodes in an array of colors and activism for its LGBTQ-themed parade – and this year was no different, with this year’s theme ‘Strength in solidarity’
The march kicked off at around noon at 25th Street and Fifth Avenue in Manhattan, drawing a bevy of uniquely clad revelers – as organizers said they are seeking to call attention to the current plight of the transgender community
Millions descended on downtown Manhattan to make their support for that and other linked causes known – all while cops urged locals to be wary of increased incidents of violence due to the greater LGBTQ climate
The parade often attracts scantily clad, sometimes rowdy revelers – and this time was no different, with police this time around warning the march comes ‘amid an elevated threat environment worldwide’ involving to the LGBTQ community
The parade, as it does each year, caused several streets to close, for not only the main procession, but an array of outdoor parties across the borough
This year’s march is expected to draw a million spectators, 100,000 participants and 60 floats
Police officers stand guard as New Yorkers march during the NYC Pride parade on Sunday. The force is on high alert this year due to an outflow of anti-LGBTQ sentiment
Between the million or so attendees and hundreds of thousands of other revelers, roughly 2million attended the parade Sunday – with an amalgam of music, dancing and rainbows
Participants posed and wave as they moved down Fifth Avenue Sunday, enjoying the sunny weather as rain was forecast toward the parade’s end
Several couples made their orientation known during the parade – known for its proud displays of homosexuality
This year, a premium was put on the T in LGBTQ – due to recent criticism leveled toward trans people
Thousands took part in the main parade this year, making use of a litany of props to show their flair
As usual, confetti was commonplace during the outdoor excursion, which began on Fifth Avenue, looped through Greenwich Village, and ends in Chelsea
Adams and other city officials were in attendance, after his administration recently signed an executive order preventing the use of city resources for out-of-state investigations into gender-affirming care
No incidents of violence were immediately reported, but officers are reportedly on high alert
Billy Porter marches is seen appearing in the 2023 New York City Pride March
To mark Pride, Gov. Kathy Hochul signed a new legislation, protecting access to gender-affirming care in New York, and urged other states to do the same
At noon on Wednesday, millions descended on downtown Manhattan to make their support for that and other linked causes known – all while cops urged locals to be wary of increased incidents of violence due to the greater LGBTQ climate.
While there were no specific threats to Manhattan’s march by the time it started , an assessment by the NYPD noted the event will take place ‘amid an elevated threat environment worldwide’ involving the gay and trans communities – and would thus require heightened security.
It was not clear from the department’s statement what exactly that increased detail would be comprised of, though Chief of Patrol John Chell on Friday that the number will be well into the thousands.
‘We have thousands of cops. We have our agency partners, our federal partners, our counter terrorism and intelligence bureau. Other agencies. Sanitation and DOT.’
Chell added of the success of the city’s previous Pride parade: ‘I worked [it] last year. It was wonderful there were no incidents. We plan on having the same event this year.’
It was not clear from the department’s statement what exactly that increased detail would be comprised of, though Chief of Patrol John Chell on Friday that the number will be well into the thousands
‘We have thousands of cops. We have our agency partners, our federal partners, our counter terrorism and intelligence bureau. Other agencies. Sanitation and DOT’, Chell said Friday
Meanwhile, both a literal and figurative dark cloud were cast over the festivities thanks to tenuous forecasts from not only the city’s police force, but its meteorologists – with a storm poised to slam Manhattan around 2pm
Residents and revelers made the most of weather attending an array of outdoor parties that sprouted up all across the city
While there were no specific threats to Manhattan’s march by the time it started, an assessment by the NYPD noted the event will take place ‘amid an elevated threat environment worldwide’ involving the gay and trans communities – and would thus require more security
Bashing city and state-led campaigns that have sought to bar things like drag story hours geared toward kids, organizers said: ‘They’re attacking these people because they’re less likely to stand up and fight back.’
!['[This] is why it's important that we all come together in solidarity and speak up when we see these injustices'](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2023/06/25/20/72516855-12231987-image-a-62_1687720181029.jpg)
‘[This] is why it’s important that we all come together in solidarity and speak up when we see these injustices’
Grand Marshal Billy Porter was one of many to speak Sunday about the injustices LGBTQ people have faced as of late
It also comes two years after parade organizers banned NYPD officers from participating in uniform, while moving to reduce their presence on the scene. The ban will be reviewed in 2025
Adams has said that any hateful actions toward LGBTQ New Yorkers on Sunday will not be tolerated. He was seen waving flags and marching with fellow revelers as they marched
Marchers made their opinions known with several strongly worded signs and posters
A wide array of vehicles including motorcycles and three-wheelers also took part in the parade
New York Senator Schumer was also seen riling up attendees, touting the importance of New York’s LGBTQ community into a megaphone
The city’s mayor has said that any hateful actions toward LGBTQ New Yorkers Sunday – or any other day – will not be tolerated
The parade went without a hitch, despite gloomy forecasts for later in the day
The roots of the Pride Movement began with the Stonewall Uprising in 1969. One year later, the first NYC Pride March was held on Christopher Street
The parade comes as over the last few weeks, several Pride flags and transgender Pride flags stationed across the city have been ripped down and destroyed.
In the aforementioned internal statement sent around by the NYPD, cops cited previous acts of mass violence such as the Pulse nightclub shooting in Orlando as reasons to bolster security this time around.
Mayor Adams has said that any hateful actions toward LGBTQ New Yorkers on Sunday – or any other day, for that matter – will not be tolerated.
While some people whooped in celebration during the parade, many were mindful of the growing conservative countermovement, including new laws banning gender-affirming care for transgender children.
‘I’m not trying not to be very heavily political, but when it does target my community, I get very, very annoyed and very hurt,’ said Ve Cinder, a 22-year-old transgender woman who traveled from Pennsylvania to take part in the country’s largest Pride event.
‘I’m just scared for my future and for my trans siblings. I’m frightened of how this country has looked at human rights, basic human rights,’ she said. ‘It’s crazy.’
In Chicago, 16-year-old Maisy McDonough painted rainbow colors over her eyes and on her face for her first Pride parade.
She told the Chicago Tribune she´s excited to ‘be united’ after a tough year for the community.
‘We really need the love of this parade,’ she said.
Young school children lines up to participate in the 52nd Chicago Pride Parade in Chicago
A person participates in the 52nd Chicago Pride Parade in Chicago, Illinois, on Sunday
Selena Peres drinks water and twirls a rainbow skirt during Chicago’s 52nd annual Pride
) People participate in the 52nd Chicago Pride Parade in Chicago, Illinois, on Sunday
12-year-old Layla Williams performs with her fellow Bud Billiken dancers in Chicago’s 52nd annual Pride Parade Sunday
Jon Batayola, left, and Daniel Biginton embrace under an umbrella as they await the beginning of Chicago’s annual Pride Parade
The parade is the final event of a month of celebrating and honoring the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Queer (LBGTQ) community
Illinois Governor JB Pritzker (R) and Illinois Lieutenant Governor Juliana Stratton (L) participate in the 52nd Chicago Pride Parade in Chicago, Illinois, on Sunday
Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson greets parade goers as he walks in Chicago’s Pride Parade
People participate in the 52nd Chicago Pride Parade in Chicago, Illinois, on Sunday
Participants carry a large rainbow Chicago flag during the annual Pride Parade
Many other cities held their marquee events earlier this month, including Boston, which hosted its first parade after a three-year hiatus that began with COVID-19 but extended through 2022 because the organization that used to run it dissolved under criticism that it excluded racial minorities and transgender people.
A key message this year has been for LGBTQ+ communities to unite against dozens, if not hundreds, of legislative bills now under consideration in statehouses across the country.
Lawmakers in 20 states have moved to ban gender-affirming care for children, and at least seven more are considering doing the same, adding increased urgency for the transgender community, its advocates say.
‘We are under threat,’ Pride event organizers in New York, San Francisco and San Diego said in a statement joined by about 50 other Pride organizations nationwide.
‘The diverse dangers we are facing as an LGBTQ community and Pride organizers, while differing in nature and intensity, share a common trait: they seek to undermine our love, our identity, our freedom, our safety, and our lives.’
U.S. Rep. Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., and Rep. Adam Schiff, D-Calif., wave to the crowd while participating during the 53rd Annual San Francisco Pride Parade and Celebration on Sunday
Entertainer Ophelia Peaches waves while riding on a float in the Pride parade through the streets of downtown Denver
A smaller but no less lively LGBTQ Pride celebration took place in Silver Spring, Maryland
Hundreds of LGBTQ people and their supporters are outside and enjoying the weather while being proud of who they area. Pride celebration, Silver Spring, Maryland
People ride in a motorcycle with a sidecar at the 54th annual NYC Pride March, in New York
A woman rides her motorcycle with a bubble maker in New York
A man with a pride flag and Mexican flag can be seen cheering in this photo from Chicagi
A woman in a sequined rainbow dress was pictured during Chicago Pride
The colors of the rainbow were seen in virtually every direction
Performers take part in the Pride parade through the streets of downtown Denver on Sunday
A man attends the NYC Pride March, Sunday, in New York
Participants take part in the Pride parade through the streets of downtown Denver
Revelers march during the NYC pride parade on Sunday in New York
The streets of downtown Denver were awash in color
Youngsters marched with their own messages
Participants take part in the Pride parade through the streets of downtown on Sunday
The Anti-Defamation League and GLAAD, a national LGBTQ+ organization, reported 101 anti-LGBTQ+ incidents in the first three weeks of this month, about twice as many as in the full month of June last year.
Sarah Moore, who analyzes extremism for the two civil rights groups, said many of the incidents coincided with Pride events.
Nevertheless, Roz Gould Keith, who has a transgender son, is heartened by the increased visibility of transgender people at marches and celebrations across the country.
‘Ten years ago, when my son asked to go to Motor City Pride, there was nothing for the trans community,’ said Keith, founder and executive director of Stand with Trans, a group formed to support and empower young transgender people and their families.
This year, she said, the event was ‘jam-packed’ with transgender people.
Across the border in Canada, massive crowds thronged the streets of Toronto under sunny skies to take part in Canada’s largest Pride parade
Myles Sexton smiles for a portrait as they walk in the Toronto Pride Parade in Toronto on Sunday
Participants walk in the Toronto Pride Parade in Toronto, Sunday June 25, 2023
Colourfully-clad attendees cheered, danced, fluttered rainbow fans to beat the heat
Pride Toronto, the organizer of Sunday’s parade featured at least 250 participating groups
Displays were crisp and colorful on the streets of Toronto on Sunday during the Pride march
A Pride participant is seen with a giant yellow feathered headdress on the streets of Toronto
Over the last 50 years, there have been many strides towards equality as well as setbacks — from the AIDS epidemic of the 80s
All different colored flags could be seen along the streets of the Canadian city
The Pride colors are spelled out with balloons are marchers head down the streets
A feathered rainbowed participant would be seen roller blading during the parade
Even pets got in on the action with this pup displaying rainbow colors
Supporters liners the streets to show support and celebrate Canada’s LGBTQ community
‘We love our community. We want you here. We want you to do business here. We want the nightlife here. We want you to be part of the energy of this great city,’ Adams said this week,
‘And I am just really proud of what this administration is doing and continue to do.’
As usual, confetti was commonplace during the outdoor excursion, which began on Fifth Avenue, looped through Greenwich Village, and will end in Chelsea .
It comes two years after parade organizers banned NYPD officers from participating in uniform, while moving to reduce their presence on the scene. That ban – issued to address feelings of being threatened from participants – will be reviewed in 2025.
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