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U.S. NEWS Monday 29 June 2020
In NYC, marking 50th anniversary of Pride, no matter what

Continued from Front

A number of people in the
crowd at Foley Square held
signs reading “All Black
Lives Matter,” with a black
fist surrounded by rainbow
colors. Most wore masks,
though some scrapped so-
cial distancing in favor of
hugging friends. One man
held a sign advertising free
hugs.
The first Pride march, on
June 28, 1970, was a marker
of the Stonewall uprisings of
the year before in New York
City’s West Village that hel-
ped propel a global LGBTQ
movement.
Initially called the Christop-
her Street Liberation Day
March, it looked much like
the protests that have strea- People hold signs as they participate in a queer liberation march for Black Lives Matter and against police brutality, Sunday, June
med through the streets of 28, 2020, in New York.
New York City daily in re- Associated Press
cent weeks over racial in- us until there’s a vaccine, pearances from a number ched tourists through the “The feeling doesn’t go
justice. Marchers trooped so this is a much-needed of other celebrities. years come to snap photos away because of the coro-
to Central Park, chanting lifeline,” co-owner Stacy The Queer Liberation March of the Stonewall, only to re- navirus,” Mayor Bill de Bla-
“Gay power!” and “Gay Lentz told The Associated for Black Lives and Against alize it doesn’t look like any- sio said in an interview with
and proud!” Press. “It would be devasta- Police Brutality, meanwhile, thing special. WABC-TV.
Cities around the world in ting to think about walking marched from Lower Man- “It’s just this nothing place,” Gatherings of large groups
subsequent years followed down Christopher Street hattan toward Washington he said, “but it meant eve- of people are still barred
New York’s lead, hosting and seeing that building Square Park. The organizers rything.” in New York City as part
commemorative events. shuttered.” are activists who held a Other celebrations of the of an effort to control the
The historic Stonewall Inn, Organizers of this year’s protest march last year as day were visual. At Roc- spread of the coronavirus.
known as the birthplace of event in New York City an alternative to the main kefeller Center, more than Other parades canceled
the gay rights movement, were determined to show- Pride parade, saying it had 100 rainbow flags were pla- this spring included the St.
furloughed its employees case some of that spirit, become too corporate. ced around the center rink, Patrick’s Day parade and
and has been shuttered with a TV broadcast hono- Joseph Engargeau feared and the plaza was lit up in Puerto Rican Day parade.
more than three months ring the front line workers there might be no event rainbow colors. Still, people have gathered
amid the pandemic. But it who have been so neces- this year because of the In the West Village, a rain- by the thousands since the
announced Sunday it will sary in the fight against the coronavirus restrictions. bow light art installation late-May death of George
receive a $250,000 contri- virus as well as people and Instead, he felt this scaled- next to the Stonewall Inn Floyd at the hands of po-
bution from the Gill Foun- institutions of the LGBTQ down version better resem- was expected to illuminate lice in Minnesota. One of
dation — money that will community. bled the first Pride than the the sky in tribute to the upri- the largest demonstrations
go toward several months The show featured several massive event the parade sing and the original march, was a June 14 demonstrati-
of rent and utilities. performers including Ja- became. as well as those who have on in Brooklyn, where thou-
“I don’t think things will re- nelle Monáe, Deborah Cox Engargeau, wearing a rain- marched and fought throu- sands gathered for a Black
ally be back to normal for and Billy Porter, and ap- bow mask, said he’s wat- gh the years. Trans Lives Matter protest.q

Virus death toll drops to 5 in N.Y., once the U.S. epicenter

NEW YORK (AP) — Five posite end,” Gov. Andrew spike again if New Yorkers prompting officials in Tex- limited to 25% capac-
people died Saturday Cuomo said in an inter- let down their guard down as and Florida to reverse ity and social-distancing
from the coronavirus in view with NBC’s “Meet the and fail to follow social dis- course and close down guidelines outlined by
New York state, the lowest Press.” New York still leads tancing and mask-wear- bars in their states again. state officials.
daily death toll the state the nation in COVID-19 ing requirements. U.S. Health and Human Dolan thanked the con-
has reported since March deaths with nearly 25,000, “I’m now afraid of the Services Secretary Alex gregation for its persever-
15. Saturday’s total com- according to the state’s spread coming from oth- Azar stressed that “the win- ance and joked that more
pared to 13 fatalities the official tally, which doesn’t er states because we are dow is closing” for the U.S. than a dozen collections
day before as the number include people who likely one country and people to take action to effective- would be taken to make
of fatalities caused by the died of the disease. travel,” Cuomo said. “I’m ly curb the coronavirus. up for the missed Sundays.
virus continues to plum- Meanwhile, fewer than afraid the infection rate in CATHOLIC MASS RESUMES “Where have you all been
met in the state. During 900 patients were hospi- the other states will come Cardinal Timothy Dolan on these last 14 weeks?”
the peak of the pandemic talized Saturday for CO- back to New York and Sunday celebrated the first Dolan quipped. “Am I ever
in April, nearly 800 people VID-19, down from a peak raise that rate again.” public Mass at St. Patrick’s happy to see you.”
were dying a day from of over 18,000 in April. Confirmed daily infections Cathedral since the coro- The church continues to
coronavirus. The governor cautioned in the U.S. hit an all-time navirus pandemic began. livestream daily Mass on its
“We are on the exact op- that the numbers could high of 40,000 on Friday, The storied cathedral was website.q