Sun. June 28, 2015
Chicago, IL -
Black trans, queer people and their allies purposefully disrupted the 46th annual Chicago Pride Parade on Sunday.
About a dozen parade participants, most wearing black shirts with #BlackOutPride written on them, instigated a protest upon arriving at Halsted and Addison streets. The group staged a sit-in, which brought the parade to a halt for just over 10 minutes - some estimate closer to 15 minutes.
The group chanted "Black Lives Matter."
Eight arrests were made in the incident and an online drive was launced to raise money for their bail. Once Chicago Police cleared the intersection the parade continued.
Organizers said the protest was being used to refocus attention on those most marginalized in the LGBTQ community; honor the lives of trans women of color; and raise awareness of the lack of representation and resources available to LGBTQ people of color in Chicago.
A statement released online by #BlackOutPride around the time of the protest said the disruption was being used to bring attention to issues that have received marginal attention because of the focus on marriage equality.
"It was an effective action," group spokesperson NIC Kay said.
A similar disruption happened during Boston Pride earlier this month.
The group's full statement is published online at: radfag.wordpress.com
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