The Mayor of Boston and the Governor of Massachusetts have both said they won’t march in the city’s St Patricks’ day parade after a gay veterans group was banned.
OutVets on Facebook said they were excluded from the South Boston parade on 19 March.
Writing on the social media site, the group said: “While the reason for our denial is unclear, one can only assume it’s because we are LGBTQ”.
The ban came as a surprise as OutVets has been allowed to march in the parade for the past two years.
According to CBS, the South Boston Allied War Veterans Council, which organises the St Patrick’s Day event, voted 9-4 to exclude the group.
Marty Walsh, the Mayor of Boston said in a statement: “I will not tolerate discrimination in our city of any form. We are one Boston, which means we are a fully inclusive city. I will not be marching in the parade unless this is resolved. Anyone who values what our city stands for should do the same.”
Governor Charlie Baker added that he would not march if the group is excluded.
He said: “Veterans’ groups should be allowed to march in the parade. If veterans’ groups aren’t allowed to march in that parade, I will probably do something else. I won’t march.
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