Live coverage, St. Patrick’s Parade: Rainbow flag protest to start event; Mayor Adams marches with Pride Center
The Pride Center of Staten Island held a press conference by Jody's Club Forest to denounce the LGBTQ+ organization's exclusion from the Staten Island St. Patrick's Parade.
"STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- The annual Staten Island St. Patrick’s Parade is expected to kick off this afternoon on Forest Avenue in West Brighton, but prior to the noon event, the Staten Island Pride Center is hosting a press conference.
Throughout the late morning and afternoon, we’ll be sharing updates from the parade here. In addition, the Staten Island Advance/SILive.com will have separate stories highlighting all facets of the yearly parade, which once again is shrouded in controversy following the routine prohibition of LGBTQ groups from openly marching with their banners.
For extra content, visit @siadvance on Instagram and TikTok.
The Pride Center of Staten Island held a rainbow flag across both lanes of Forest Avenue prior to the start of the Staten Island St. Patrick's Parade.
11:55 a.m. -- The Staten Island St. Patrick’s Parade starts at noon. Below is our Facebook Live coverage of the Forest Avenue event, courtesy of staffer Lauren Lovallo.
Prior to the start of the parade, a group carried a rainbow flag -- about two lanes wide -- to protest the annual gathering.
Additional stories about the parade, Mayor Eric Adams’ appearance with the Pride Center of Staten Island, and other aspects will appear throughout the day.
11:16 a.m. -- Mayor Eric Adams appeared on Staten Island to support the Pride Center of Staten Island. Hizzoner marched with the LGBTQ+ group on Forest Avenue, about 45 minutes before the start of the Staten Island St. Patrick’s Parade.
Adams stood behind a Pride Center banner and waved a rainbow flag as the group chanted “Let the Pride Center march!”
“Everyone misses the parade as it used to be and that’s what we want back. We just want to be included,” KC Hankins, of the Pride Center, said to the mayor, while giving background on the organization’s exclusion. The mayor responded, “This is how change happens.”
Adams was not expected to stay for the parade, which no New York City mayor has attended in nearly a decade. The Mayor’s Office said Saturday he would “walk in solidarity with the LGBTQ+ community.”
Mayor Eric Adams held a progress pride flag while he walked with members of the Staten Island Pride Center prior to the start of the Staten Island St. Patrick's Parade.
Mayor Eric Adams stands with the Pride Center of Staten Island prior to the start of the Staten Island St. Patrick's Parade.
11:08 a.m. -- The NYPD’s Emerald Society, an Irish-American organization, will not be marching in the Staten Island St. Patrick’s Parade. An organizer confirmed the decision to the Advance, noting the group will be having a party tonight at Holy Family R.C. Church’s Msgr. Glenn Community Center.
Word of the Emerald Society declining to appear in the parade was said at the Pride Center’s press conference.
10:15 a.m. -- Below is the feed of the Pride Center’s presser, via Facebook Live. The event is happening outside Jody’s Club Forest.
New York City Mayor Eric Adams is expected to attend the Rainbow Runsometime around 10:45 a.m. Sunday.
Staten Island Athletic Club’s annual Forest Avenue Mile — unofficially known as the “Rainbow Run” — is the pre-parade event which draws dozens of runners, several of whom don rainbow colors and hand out pride flags and other freebies to parade-goers along the route in support of the LGBTQ+ community.
A pair of women hold a banner proclaiming "Free Mom Hugs," which is an organization dedicated to advocating for the acceptance, love and support of the LGBTQIA community."
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