New York City Mayor de Blasio Skipping St. Patrick's Day Parade Over Gay Policy

New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio announced on Tuesday that he will not be attending the city's St. Patrick's Day parade over their policy on participants who carry gay pride signs, the New York Daily News reported.

"I am not planning on marching in the parade," the mayor said at a City Hall press conference. "I will be participating in a number of other events to honor the Irish heritage of this city, but I simply disagree with the organizers of that parade."

Though parade organizers said gay people are welcome at the March 17 event, they are not allowed to identify their sexual orientation in any way.

Mayor de Blasio is not alone in his boycott of the major parade. City Council Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito also said she will not attend.

"I have an incredibly strong trajectory of being a strong ally on issues regarding social justice and equity for the LGBTQ community, so I will definitely not march," she said. "The mayor took a very bold step and decision in deciding not to march."

This is the first time in 20 years that the city's mayor declined to participate in the parade. In 1993, Mayor David Dinkins refused to participate because of the rule for gay people as well.

City Councilman Jimmy Van Bramer (D-Queens), who was arrested for carrying a gay pride flag at the parade in 2000, commended the mayor for taking a "strong stand against discrimination."

"I find it offensive that the parade takes a formal and hard line that I can't participate," Van Bramer said. "That literally shuts out huge portions of our city."

While the mayor received a lot of support from government officials, others in the city were not so warm towards his choice.

"Personally, I am delighted," said Bill Donohue, president of the Catholic League. "I do not want to march with a public official who does not want to be associated with Irish Catholics."

Real Time Analytics