Millions of LGBTI supporters took to the streets of New York on Sunday (30 June) to celebrate pride and renew calls for equality.
Some 150,000 participants from 600 contingents hosting more than 100 floats marched down the four-kilometer route, according to BBC News.
An estimated four million people, meanwhile, took to the streets to watch and celebrate New York City Pride Parade.
This year, New York hosted global LGBT-event WorldPride.
The mass march also marked 50 years since Stonewall Riots. On 28 June, 1969, LGBTI community members launched spontaneous protests against discrimination following raids of the Stonewall Inn.
People regard it as the birth of the modern LGBTI rights movement in the US.
Queer liberation in New York
But, for the first time, this year activists also marched a separate route to protest the mainstream pride.
The Reclaim Pride Coalition organized the Queer Liberation March. The wanted to protest a pride parade they say has become too money-centric and will be devoid of police or corporate sponsors.
45,000 strong for queer pride not corporate pride. 💪🏾💪🏿💪🏼#QueerLiberationMarch #ReclaimPride pic.twitter.com/iOy53ADqAk
— Reclaim Pride Coalition (@queermarch) June 30, 2019
The estimated 45,000 attendees performed acts of resistance. For instance, on 23rd Street, in collaboration with ACT UP, they held a die-in to represent the 17 HIV+ asylum seekers who died in ICE custody.
The main march, titled New York City Heritage of Pride parade, meanwhile, passed important LGBTI landmarks. These included the Stonewall National Monument and the New York City Aids memorial.
The NYC Pride March – Happy #WorldPrideNYC everyone! pic.twitter.com/wxZvKow7AI
— New York City Pride (@NYCPride) June 30, 2019
Among the Grand Marshals at this year’s Pride is the cast of hit FX show Pose, The Trevor Project, and the Gay Liberation Front (the original group who organized following the Stonewall riots).
New York Mayor and Democrat presidential hopeful Bill De Blasio walked in the parade with his wife.
Mayor @BilldeBlasio marching in the #WorldPride2019 parade! pic.twitter.com/G0lE2yrbCv
— Nina Kapur (@ninakapur1) June 30, 2019
Representatives from around the world marched in New York. These included a team from London Pride and Taiwan, which became the first country in Asia to legalize same-sex marriage this year.
World-renowned artists, including Madonna and Lady Gaga, performed at the WorldPride closing ceremony on one of the city’s piers.
See also
Madonna sends love to New York Pride with cute cat face video
Here are the 27 best pictures from the New York Pride parade
Football and baseball stars will join New York Pride March for the first time