The LGBTQ community had experienced police brutality, and the march itself was controversial because police warned of potential violence against participants. He walked in the city’s first Pride march in 1970, a time, he said, when the participants were “more anarchist” and “more destructive.” James Lewis Perdue Jackson II isn’t new to protest marches. The crowd chanted “Black Lives Matter” and “When women’s rights are under attack, what do we do? Stand up fight back! When immigrant rights are under attack, what do we do? Stand up, fight back! When trans rights are under attack, what do we do? Stand up, fight back!” In the crowd, signs with Trump’s face read: “Making Russia Great Again.” The large crowd, which stretched for blocks, was mostly orderly and police reported no major problems or arrests.Īs the march turned into West Hollywood on Santa Monica Boulevard, marchers passed Russian bakeries and pharmacies and Cyrillic writing on buildings - from the city’s large Russian population.
The current political climate, she said, “will jumpstart the movement again.” She said that things felt so positive after the Supreme Court ruled on same-sex marriage a few years ago but that she worried the community would become complacent since they made so much progress so quickly. They brought her to Pride parades as a baby. Riedeman said she’s been with her wife for about three decades and said it’s surreal to be here with her daughter as a young adult.
Kassandra said that, carrying the purple balloon, she could “feel the weight of the loss.” The Orlando victims were on her mind, she said. But they were thrilled with the size of the crowd. She and her mother weren’t sure what to expect with the march and were concerned that not as many people would turn out because the parade was gone. She said her boyfriend had been concerned about the march after last year’s Orlando shooting and asked, “Are you sure you want to go? What if something happens?”īut Kassandra said she wouldn’t have missed it. She described herself as a straight ally. Kassandra, a 21-year-old student at CSU Channel Islands, grew up coming to the Pride parades with Riedeman and her wife, and Kassandra wore a button that said “I (Heart) My Moms.” Kassandra La Giusa-Riedeman and her mother Jacki Riedeman marched with one of 49 giant purple balloons that were meant to honor the victims of the mass shooting at the Pulse gay nightclub in Orlando in 2016. On Sunday, a giant pink, blue and white transgender flag was stretched across Hollywood Boulevard.
People felt the need to make a statement that “we will resist being driven back into the closet by regressive policies,” he said. This #ResistMarch, Pendleton said, was inspired by the massive women’s marches that took place the day after President Trump’s inauguration in January. Rob Romero, left, Sim Leng, center, and Don Pippin dressed as unicorns for the #ResistMarch on Sunday.