MANCHESTER, August 23, 2008 — A small group of gay youngsters incurred the wrath of Manchester Gay Pride Festival organisers with a number of placards and t-shirts that read Pride Before Profit and Pride Is a Protest.
Minutes before the march moved off from Liverpool Street, Festival director Jackie Crozier went up to David Henry of the Queer Youth Network.
"What is on that," she asked, pointing to a placard lying face down on the street.
Mr. Henry turned the placard over, revealing the message Pride Before Profit.
"Give me that sign," she demanded. "We told you that we don't want that kind of thing here."
Mr. Henry, like a growing number of other people, thinks that Manchester Pride has sold its soul to commerce and objects to the up to £20 'admission' fee to the Gay Village.
"I would have thought they had more important things to do than to check our placards," he told UK Gay News.
Ms. Crozier also raised an objection to the t-shirts proclaiming that Pride Is a Protest being worn by two women in the group.
But, the argument appeared to have been "won" by Queer Youth Network as the two Pride officials retreated – and the parade moved off with the young people and their placards.
Later, when the parade passed the judging stand, officials were aghast when two Queer Youth Movement participants produced a banner saying Too Poor to be Gay.
Thousands took part in the parade which wound its way through the streets of the city centre, watched by hundreds of thousands spectators.
The parade was led by more than 200 uniformed police officers from 16 constabularies across the UK.
Manchester Pride is said to boost the local economy by almost £20 million.
"That proves our point," Mr. Henry said.
■ On Tuesday afternoon, Jackie Crozier issued a statement by email to UK Gay News through the Manchester Pride press office:
"The Manchester Pride Parade was a huge success. It was the biggest in the festivals history with 87 floats from 78 different organisations. Manchester Pride is responsible for ensuring the content of the parade is in keeping with its position as a peaceful and celebratory march and this year was no different.
"No entrance where asked to withdrawn any aspect of their promotional material and the parade was, as always, an understanding platform for all of us to raise awareness and promote equality for the LGBT community."
[added Tuesday August 26 at 18:00]
■ Meanwhile, in Cornwall – about as far as one can get from Manchester and still be in England, the country's first-ever Gay Pride saw a parade of around 600 in Truro, the BBC reported.
SEE ALSO
More Controversy at Manchester Gay Pride as Business Group Speaks Out Against Commercialisation. The row over the 'commercialisation' of Manchester Gay Pride deepened yesterday when the chair of the Village Business Association (VBA) hit out at the 'establishment', saying that Gay Pride in the city had lost its direction. (UK Gay News, August 30, 2008)
Manchester Gay Pride in Pictures. Thirty photographs from yesterday's event, the 18th Pride in the city. (UK Gay News, August 24, 2008)
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