March 13, 2014
Gay Veterans Won't March in Boston Parade
Jason St. Amand READ TIME: 1 MIN.
A gay rights advocacy group says it is ending its efforts to get organizers of Boston's St. Patrick's Day parade to allow gay military veterans to march.
The executive director of MassEquality said Wednesday the group had reached a dead end in its negotiations with the parade sponsor and won't participate in Sunday's parade.
The parade sponsor, the South Boston Allied War Veterans Council, said a week ago that it had been "deceived" by MassEquality and had ended negotiations.
No deal was reached despite the intervention of Boston Mayor Martin Walsh and Congress Stephen Lynch.
Walsh says he won't march if gay groups are excluded. A Walsh spokeswoman tells The Boston Globe (http://b.globe.com/1klIvUf ) the mayor is disappointed no deal was reached.
