Queer Liberation March hits the streets
with the message to ‘defund NYPD’
BY MARK HALLUM
The up-and-coming Queer
Liberation March threw
their original plans for a
virtual rally in reverse after the
death of George Floyd, meeting
in Foley Square on Sunday to not
only celebrate their own pride but
to support the call to defund the
police.
Jay W. Walker, the founder
of the Queer Liberation March,
told amNewYork Metro about
how 2020 has thrown the organization
some curveballs starting
with COVID-19, but ultimately
supporting people of color in
the streets became the prevailing
strategy.
“Stonewall was a riot, we’re not
rioting. We’re just standing here
arm-and-arm with black folks,
black trans folks, with brown
folks, everybody that is under
the boot of the police – not just
NYPD – all over this country,”
Walker said. “We had every intention
of doing this again this year
until Ms. ‘Rona showed up, so we
canceled and went virtual. Then
when we all saw Mr. Floyd being
murdered before our eyes, we
started getting out in the streets.”
And getting into the streets
rather than protesting virtually
Pride Puppets representing LGBT heroes stand ready to be
carried on the backs of marchers at Foley Square.
lends further momentum to Walkers
organization which is in
opposition with the NYC Pride
March on account of its corporate
sponsors and other affi liations.
“The Queer Liberation March
isn’t going anywhere, we’re going
to be back every year and eventually
we’re going to be the only
march in town because we’re so
much better,” Walker said.
Kicking off at Foley Square,
the march moved past City Hall,
where hundreds are still camped
PHOTOS BY MARK HALLUM
out to the northeast of the government
buildings at Centre and
Chambers Street. It would then
move past the Stonewall Inn before
setting in Washington Square
Park.
The group of 200 or so demonstrating
as part of Occupy City
Hall has become a patchwork
of sections dominated by sleeping
bags, other parts are where
art is being displayed, while
small kiosks have been erected
where cottage industry goods
A silent vigil paid respect to victims of police violence.
are distributed. The occupation
began on June 23, the organizers
plan to remain there until City
Council adopts a plan for defunding
NYPD by at least $1 billion in
the fi scal year 2021 budget, due
for passage on the 30th.
Walkers said there was a feeling
of solidarity with the group no
more than two blocks away, and
hopes NYPD is taken out of the
equation in situations involving a
911 call for a medical emergency
or wellness checks and should not
be tasked with homeless outreach.
“They are trained to commit
violence against people…
They need to be responding to
actual crimes that actually have
occurred, not suspecting that
someone might commit a crime,”
Walker added.
Last year, the Queer Liberation
March attracted over 45,000 to its
demonstration.
BY MARK HALLUM
Activists are scrambling to
help their own after the
NYPD arrested up to fi ve
PHOTO: SCREENSHOT VIA TWITTER
and used pepper spray on those
marching in commemoration of
the Stonewall Inn Uprising.
A spokesperson with Reclaim
Pride says they are working with
Cops pepper spray protesters,
cuff at least five at Stonewall
anniversary march
the lawyers guild to provide “jail
support” for those arrested after
an incident near Fifth Avenue as
the group of possibly thousands
were marching into Washington
Square Park, the terminus of the
procession.
Marti Gould Cummings, a candidate
for City Council and a drag
artist, posted video of the incident
to Twitter which showed a person
being arrested while others can
be seen pouring water into their
eyes, supposedly to relieve the effects
of pepper spray. The crowd
chanted “let him go.”
The incidents leading up to the
police reaction are not known to
us and NYPD’s press offi ce said
they do cannot offer clarity at this
time.
Police pepper sprayed peaceful
demonstrators on the anniversary
of stonewall outside Washington
square park pic.twitter.
com/3X2S2E31ep
— Marti Gould Cummings (@
MartiGCummings) June 28, 2020
This year’s pride celebrations
were performed in solidarity of
the Black Lives Matter movement,
which the Queer Liberation
March took special care to
recognize as they started their
parade from Foley Square, past
the Stonewall where it would
end up in the park. Jay W. Walker,
the founder of the organization,
made special mention of George
Floyd and those in the Occupy
City Hall demonstration now in
its sixth day.
Fifty-one years ago, a number
of members of the LGBT community
rose up against a police raid
which was viewed as discrimination
against their community.
The standoff came symbolize the
beginning of the LGBT liberation
movement and the overturning of
homophobic laws.
Schneps Media July 2, 2020 9