Dueling protests break out at "Straight Pride Parade" in Boston
By Sophie Lewis
/ CBS News
Boston's first-ever "Straight Pride Parade" kicked off in Boston on Saturday to dueling reactions. Dozens of police officers populated the parade route to try to keep the peace as counter-protestors rallied at City Hall.
The parade began at Copley Square and ends Saturday afternoon at City Hall, where there are speakers expected. Police officers are behind City Hall Plaza in riot gear, CBS Boston reported.
Organizers were given a four-hour permit starting at noon. Police said they expected more counter-protesters than actual parade-goers to join the conclusion of the parade at City Hall.
Trending News
"We're here to celebrate our community. We're here to show up in the face of hate with love and joy," one protester told CBS Boston. "We should celebrate our differences and celebrate the ways in which people from all backgrounds have contributed to this country."
According to CBS Boston, hundreds of counter-demonstrators have already gathered at City Hall. At least two people were arrested along the parade route just as it started, but it's not yet clear whether they were parade participants or protesters.
At Copley Square now where more than 100 but under 200 Straight Pride participants are getting ready to march #wbz pic.twitter.com/Kb1nmQfzZA
— Paul Burton (@PaulWBZ) August 31, 2019
Two arrested in Boston in Straight Pride Parade #wbz pic.twitter.com/a3JvZ3Yxtr
— Paul Burton (@PaulWBZ) August 31, 2019
The parade is taking place just outside Emerson College, which has canceled events and restricted access to certain buildings.
"The organizers of the Straight Pride Parade have long and well-documented ties to white supremacists and anti-immigrant movements," a protester said. "In general, they are fascists who believe that they are the only acceptable type of being."
One of the largest floats in the parade featured "Trump 2020" and "Build the Wall," among other phrases coined by President Trump.
The organization Super Happy Fun America, which claims to advocate "on behalf of the straight community in order to foster respect and awareness with people from all walks of life," planned the event. The parade appeared to be a reaction to the city's rejection of the group's application to raise its "straight pride flag" at Boston's City Hall earlier this spring.
"We are [disappointed] that the Walsh administration has chosen hate and discrimination," a blog post on the site from April 20 reads. "Therefore, we have decided to launch a campaign to educate the public, politicians, and civil servants about the straight community and the unique problems we face. We have determined that a parade would be the best way to promote our community and its diverse history, culture, and identity. We anticipate that the city will eventually choose to embrace tolerance and inclusivity."
First published on August 31, 2019 / 1:46 PM
© 2019 CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved.
"We're heading towards hell": Expert shares concerns with self-driving cars
The race to create the self-driving car continues at a feverish pace, but one expert says the cars are not safe yet
31M ago 
Hurricane Dorian may spare Florida from a direct hit
The Category 4 storm with 140 mph winds is expected to make landfall next week
1H ago 
Hong Kong protesters defy police ban to march for 13th week
Earlier, the protesters threw objects and gasoline bombs over barriers set up at government headquarters
4H ago 
Dorian expected to be "extremely dangerous" as it heads for U.S.
The hurricane is now a Category 4 storm with 140 mph winds and expected to make landfall over Florida
14H ago 
Child advocacy groups ask judge to block indefinite detainment
The organizations, which include the American Academy of Pediatrics, say a new federal rule would harm migrant children and deprive them of certain rights
20H ago 
Dueling protests break out at "Straight Pride Parade"
The "Straight Pride Parade" kicked off in Boston Saturday afternoon with a "Trump 2020" float
6M ago 
Book excerpt: "Call Sign Chaos" by Jim Mattis and Bing West
The Marine Corps general and former Secretary of Defense writes of his leadership style, noting that "No one needs a tyrant"
11M ago
"We're heading towards hell": Expert shares concerns with self-driving cars
The race to create the self-driving car continues at a feverish pace, but one expert says the cars are not safe yet
31M ago 
Trump golfs as East Coast braces for catastrophic hurricane
President canceled a visit to Poland over the weekend to monitor Hurricane Dorian as it approaches Florida
33M ago 
The Dish: Open fire cooking icon Francis Mallmann
Mallmann has been honing the skill for two decades — and now cooks by open flame for the likes of Gwyneth Paltrow and David Beckham
1H ago
Trump golfs as East Coast braces for catastrophic hurricane
President canceled a visit to Poland over the weekend to monitor Hurricane Dorian as it approaches Florida
33M ago 
Trump addresses abrupt departure of his personal assistant Madeleine Westerhout
At an off-the-record dinner with reporters earlier this month, Westerhout discussed the president's children
17H ago 
Trump says Hurricane Dorian evacuations up to Florida for now
The president canceled his trip to Poland to help oversee the storm response
18H ago 
Trump leaves for Camp David — live stream
The president addressed the departure of his aide Madeleine Westerhout
19H ago 
Joe Biden unapologetic after reportedly mistelling military story
Joe Biden tells the story methodically and with great passion, but reportedly gets almost every key detail wrong. Biden says the essence of the story is true.
19H ago
The Dish: Open fire cooking icon Francis Mallmann
Mallmann has been honing the skill for two decades — and now cooks by open flame for the likes of Gwyneth Paltrow and David Beckham
1H ago 
Dystopian book "The Warehouse" isn't too far from reality, author says
"I think that we need to start being a lot more proactive than we have been"
1H ago 
"Mary Tyler Moore Show" star Valerie Harper dies at 80
Harper played Rhoda Morgenstern on the iconic 1970s television shows "The Mary Tyler Moore Show" and "Rhoda"
3H ago 
Beck performs "Devil's Haircut"
Seven-time Grammy-winning singer Beck performs at Forest Hills Stadium in New York City. The venue hosted legendary artists like The Beatles and Frank Sinatra in the 1960s, and was recently renovated to provide a modern concert experience.
4H ago 04:49 
Saturday Sessions: Beck performs "E-Pro"
Seven-time Grammy-winning singer Beck performs at Forest Hills Stadium in New York City. The venue hosted legendary artists like The Beatles and Frank Sinatra in the 1960s, and was recently renovated to provide a modern concert experience.
4H ago 03:36 
Hackers breached iPhones for years, Google says
Cybercriminals implanted iPhones with spyware by exploiting a hole in Apple's operating system
17H ago 
Billionaire Jack Ma says AI will lead to a 12-hour workweek
Alibaba founder predicts AI advancements will mean shorter workweeks for people — that might not be good news
Aug 30 
Ring security system's work with police raises privacy concerns
The Amazon-owned doorbell camera company says more than 400 law enforcement agencies use its "Neighborhood Watch" program, giving police potential access to customers' videos
Aug 29 
Facebook tightens rules for political ads, but loopholes remain
Company says it will confirm the identity of organizations that buy ads related to social and political issues
Aug 28 
Apple apologizes for workers who listened to Siri recordings
The tech giant said it will still listen to Siri recordings, but only if consumers give permission
Aug 28 
Inside the labs creating meat from stem cells
High-tech laboratories in Israel are pioneering slaughter-free meat created out of cells from farm animal tissues. It's real steak and real chicken, but no animals are hurt.
23H ago 
Who are the biggest U.S. methane emitters?
Trump administration's move to weaken pollution rules is a missed opportunity to tackle a solvable climate problem
Aug 30 
Australia downgrades outlook for Great Barrier Reef over warming
Government agency changes health prognosis for world's biggest reef from "poor" to "very poor" as world's oceans warm up
Aug 30 
Is there a "gay gene"? Major new study says no
There's no such thing as a single gene that drives a person's sexual behavior, according to the largest study ever done on the subject
Aug 29 
Kennedy Space Center bracing for Hurricane Dorian
NASA is hauling a massive launch gantry off the launch pad to avoid the threat of hurricane winds
Aug 29 
Juul being investigated for role in teen vaping
Attorneys general in Illinois and Washington, D.C. are looking into how the company's vaping device became so popular with teens
Aug 30 
Ebola kills girl in Uganda as outbreak death toll nears 3,000
Death of Congolese girl flagged as likely Ebola case at border checkpoint highlights risk of outbreak's spread as deaths near 3,000
Aug 30 
High school students doubt efforts to reduce teen vaping will work
Three New Jersey high school students spoke with "CBS This Morning" about whether new measures to curb teen vaping would actually work
Aug 30
Is there a "gay gene"? Major new study says no
There's no such thing as a single gene that drives a person's sexual behavior, according to the largest study ever done on the subject
Aug 29 
Milwaukee urges residents to stop vaping immediately
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said 193 people in 22 states have contracted severe respiratory illnesses after vaping
Aug 29 
668,000 Florida homes at risk from Hurricane Dorian
Property losses could range as high as $150 billion, while most homeowners in storm's path lack flood insurance
20H ago 
After fires, many California homeowners can't get insurance
Insurance companies are saying, "We're done with you," one resident says, while others face soaring costs
Aug 30 
Trump slams GM as its Chinese workforce now outnumbers U.S.
President Trump is again picking on a favorite corporate target, urging the Detroit automaker to bring jobs home
21H ago
Who are the biggest U.S. methane emitters?
Trump administration's move to weaken pollution rules is a missed opportunity to tackle a solvable climate problem
Aug 30 
Peloton's CEO said it makes money — not even close
Streaming fitness company has lost $450 million over the past three years alone, its IPO filing reveals
Aug 29 
What's next for Epstein's Zorro Ranch in New Mexico
New Mexico Attorney General Hector Balderas said he concluded that the state has the legal authority to retake the 1,200 acres of state land on Zorro Ranch associated with land-lease contracts
2H ago 
America's deadliest mass shootings
These are the deadliest mass shootings in American history
Aug 5 40 photos 
10 injured in shooting after football game in Alabama
The victims' ages ranged from 15 to 18 years old.
1H ago 
Lawsuit over faulty background check allowed to proceed
FBI acknowledged that Roof's drug possession arrest in Columbia, South Carolina, weeks before the shooting at AME Emanuel Church should have prevented him from buying a gun
15H ago 
Blake Bivens pays tribute to murdered family
A funeral will be held this weekend for the wife, son and mother-in-law of Tampa Bay Rays' minor league pitcher Blake Bivens. All three were shot and killed. Now, he's issued his first public statement on the murders. Jamie Yuccas reports.
18H ago 01:40 
Space
Trump launches U.S. Space Command
President Trump held a Rose Garden event to commemorate the establishment of the U.S. Space Command Thursday, as the president pushes for the creation of his sixth branch of the military, the Space Force. CBS News' Bofta Yimam reports.
Aug 29 01:53
Kennedy Space Center bracing for Hurricane Dorian
NASA is hauling a massive launch gantry off the launch pad to avoid the threat of hurricane winds
Aug 29 
Trump establishes U.S. Space Command
President Trump marked the establishment of the U.S. Space Command in the Rose Garden, and unveiled its flag for the first time during a ceremony Thursday afternoon.
Aug 29 03:49 
Trump marks establishment of U.S. Space Command
The president's "Space Force" must receive congressional approval
Aug 29 
SpaceX launches "Starhopper" test flight
The Starhopper is testing propulsion systems that will be used in SpaceX's planned heavy lift Starship spacecraft
Aug 27 
Highest-paid NFL players in 2019, ranked
These are the NFL superstars who earn the most cash this season
Aug 29 50 photos 
Ashley Fallis death: A family's fight for justice
Was the Colorado mother's 2012 death a suicide, as her husband maintains, or was it murder, as her parents insist?
Aug 24 15 photos 
World's most polluted cities
Air pollution can cause serious health problems for people who are exposed to it, even for just a few minutes
Aug 23 51 photos 
Pictures from the Amazon rainforest fires
A record number of fires have devastated the Amazon rainforest in Brazil and neighboring countries
Aug 22 30 photos 
Jason Corbett murder: A look at the evidence
In August 2015, former FBI agent Tom Martens and his daughter Molly Corbett admitted killing her Irish-born husband Jason Corbett, insisting they beat him in self-defense with a brick paver and a baseball bat because Jason was choking Molly and threatening to kill her
Aug 17 11 photos 
Popular
Dorian bears down on the Bahamas
Dorian is bearing down on the Bahamas with life-threatening storm surge. Jeff Meteorologist Jeff Berardelli joins CBSN with the latest forecast.
updated 26M ago 05:30 
911 dispatcher mocks drowning woman
Newly released 911 audio reveals the final moments of an Arkansas newspaper delivery woman as she drowned in her car.
1H ago 02:27
Beck performs "Devil's Haircut"
Seven-time Grammy-winning singer Beck performs at Forest Hills Stadium in New York City. The venue hosted legendary artists like The Beatles and Frank Sinatra in the 1960s, and was recently renovated to provide a modern concert experience.
4H ago 04:49 
Kid influencers: Few rules, big money
Being a social media influencer is now considered one of the most popular career aspirations for millennials and Gen Z. But experts warn that regulations need to be put in place as younger and younger influencers share their lives on camera. This episode of CBSN Originals looks at the lives of three families whose kids are popular influencers on social media, while exploring some of the dangers implicit in the “kidfluencer” industry.
Aug 23 23:06
Saturday Sessions: Beck performs "E-Pro"
Seven-time Grammy-winning singer Beck performs at Forest Hills Stadium in New York City. The venue hosted legendary artists like The Beatles and Frank Sinatra in the 1960s, and was recently renovated to provide a modern concert experience.
4H ago 03:36
