QUEER LIBERATION MARCH FOR BLACK LIVES AND AGAINST POLICE BRUTALITY: Reclaim Pride, for Solidarity, Defund the Police

Reclaim Pride NYC, People's March San Francisco. 

Cleve Jones writes: "I encourage folks to attend this action but beg you to wear masks and maintain social distancing efforts as Covid-19 cases are on the rise in the Bay Area. We need you all to stay strong and healthy and protect the vulnerable among us. Thank you! Keep Marching!"

photos of this blogger by Ivy Arce

The corporate pride parades, the events with cops and sponsors, were canceled.

The march liberation was on.

As Micah wrote everyone at Judson:

Reclaim Pride Coalition, with whom many of us from

Judson marched in last year's Queer Liberation March, has announced details and plans for this year's Queer Liberation March for Black Lives and Against Police Brutality, which will move from Foley Square to Washington Square on Pride Sunday, June 28th, starting at 1pm.

All details are below.

RECLAIM PRIDE COALITION ANNOUNCES QUEER LIBERATION MARCH FOR BLACK LIVES AND AGAINST POLICE BRUTALITY -- SUNDAY, JUNE 28, LEAVING FOLEY SQUARE AT 1PM

MARCH DEMANDS RADICAL CHANGE IN POLICING — FULL FUNDING OF COMMUNITY NEEDS — SAFETY AND HONOR FOR BLACK TRANS LIVES

On Sunday, June 28th, at 1pm, the Reclaim Pride Coalition will be in the streets of Manhattan for its second annual Queer Liberation March — the Queer Liberation March for Black Lives and Against Police Brutality. Marchers will gather at 12:45pm at Foley Square on Centre St and step off at 1pm sharp.

Marchers are asked to wear face masks to protect against COVID-19 and to maintain safe distancing. Reclaim Pride can provide a limited number of masks, hand sanitizer and water to those who need them... This March, like all current protest Marches, does not have a City/NYPD permit.

“We’re horrified by the police murders of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Tony McDade, Layleen Polanco, Rayshard Brooks and untold numbers of others,” said Reclaim Pride’s Francesca Barjon, “and we’re mourning the endless violent deaths of Black trans women and men like Dominique ‘Rem’mie’ Fells and Riah Milton. So, inspired by the historic, Black-led protest movement that has taken to the streets here in NYC and across the world, Reclaim Pride supports demands for immediate defunding, disarming, dismantling, and reimagining of police forces.”

Reclaim Pride joins with abolitionists such as Mariambe Kaba and others in several cities in demanding a fifty percent reduction in the NYPD budget with a fifty percent reduction in the police force. Those funds must be dedicated to support and services including housing, healthcare, education and reparative and restorative justice for Black communities. New York City must prioritize reparations for those who’ve been oppressed and murdered for hundreds of years.

While all Black people are at constant risk of police brutality and murder, Reclaim Pride, as queer and trans activists , recognizes that Black Trans, Gender Non-Conforming, and Non Binary people, especially Black Trans Women, are faced with the intersection of vicious state and societal racism, transphobia, misogyny, and classism. This must stop now.

For the complete statement of purpose, go here (or refer to the PDF attached):

RPC 2020 March - Demands & Safety Info

Reclaim Pride Coalition (RPC) is a New York City-based group comprised of LGBTQ+ activists in alliance with dozens of grassroots community groups, nationally and internationally. In June 2019, to mark the 50th anniversary of the Stonewall uprising, RPC mobilized more than 45,000 people to recreate the original 1970 Gay Pride march route uptown from Stonewall to Central Park. This March, the Queer Liberation March, was a people’s protest march without corporate funding, corporate floats, or a police contingent.

All the way from Brooklyn, cyclists rode to join the march.

At Foley Square I ran into my friend Ivy, wearing a dress with the Denver Principles.

She gave me a sticker reminding everyone to stand six feet apart.

“Bottoms tops, we all hate cops,” chant a few anarchists, carrying

signs are in solidarity,

 Black Trans Lives Matter.

There is no separating queer liberation with the struggle against racism.

Its all the same thing, says Jay Walker.

Its all the same thing.

As Penny Arcade writes:

“I was part of the first Liberation parade in 1970 as we walked in traffic, I have never liked the term Gay Pride I was always about Liberation.
This year it blends with Black Liberation! I salute this as along with Womens Rights these were the defining politics of my life.”

I run into Jim Fouratt, who was at the first parade five decades ago.

And Mel pushing Tim on a wheelchair.

Still marching together.

Its hot.

I offer to help but Mel is too tough.

I just loved jumping off the curb with no police, pens, or separation between observers and participants as usually takes place there. The mutual aid, people helping others in wheel chairs, the solidarity were amazing

Walking, I see my friend Cotter.

The last time we saw each other, we were getting arrested at the Supreme Court last October during oral argument around understandings and interpretations of the word sex in the 1964 civil rights bill.  Gay liberation, sexual liberation are bound with movements for civil rights.  The prime achievement of the civil rights era, one that countless people died for, is now expanding civil rights for queer people generations later. One step forward, two steps back.

A few days before the march, I got a message from Housing Works about the action:

“Dear Benjamin:

From the bottom of our hearts, thank you so much for participating in the HISTORIC demonstration that set the stage for the also HISTORIC 6-3 US Supreme Court decision that protects LGBTQ+ workplace rights. A number of experts have suggested that this ruling will affect housing and education, and will be even more impactful than the decision that struck down bans on marriage equality.

On October 8th of last year, more than 500 of us marched through the streets and 133 of us engaged in non-violent civil disobedience. Our voice and message were clear and reverberated through the country. When we planned the demonstration, we wanted to ensure 2020 presidential candidates understood that this issue was front and center in the minds of voters. Several legal experts, however, kept telling us that the back drop of a well-timed demonstration could actually sway Justice Roberts and possibly reach Justice Gorsuch.

Well, last Monday, the court ruled in favor of protecting all LGBTQ+ individuals from workplace discrimination under Title VII of the 1964 Civil Rights Act. This is a huge victory for so many of us around the nation. And sure enough, both Roberts and Gorsuch broke from the conservative block, and Gorsuch penned the majority decision.

LGBTQ+ people and LGBTQ+ rights are still under attack all over the US, and we still have much work to do to create a world where every LGBTQ+ person - especially our Black, Brown, and Transgender community - has safe, stable housing and  healthcare.

But it's important to take a breath and celebrate the little victories along the way, especially during such difficult times. Thank you to the 133 of you who put your bodies on the line, and thanks to all of you who helped plan this national demonstration. Whether or not our actions impacted the court's decision, you did all you could win a huge victory.

And WE WON!!!

-Jaron & Valerie & Reed”

Past Foley Square, we pass the City Hall Autonomous Zone, where people camp out calling for a budget cut for the NYPD.

The march fills Sixth Avenue.

“How do you spell racist?

-NYPD!!!!”

Scream activists.

50,000 of us in the street speaking out against racism and transphobia and hate, talking and sharing space.

“Do you feel like we are making progress?” I ask a young woman.

“Yes, of course.”

Anytime we get together to do this, its progress.

Walking we revel in the lack of barricades by the police.

We need no barricades.

But the police do.

We have a right to march to petition the government for a redress of grievances.

The police want barricades and permits.

And they want violence and control.

Up to Washington Square, we march in peace the conversation extending in all directions, everyone in masks, determined to make a point.

After I get home, I hear about end of the parade in the West Village.

Andy Humm writes:

“Great day with a bad ending due to cops pepper-spraying protesters in Washington Square. Last year, the cops mostly stayed away from the Queer Liberation March because they were too busy policing the Heritage of Pride corporate World Pride Parade. Things went well with today's march until the very end when police started scuffling, spraying, and arresting protesters. I wasn't a witness to it and reports are still filtering in. But it is a good argument for A LOT less policing and the billion dollar cut we're seeking in the $6 billion budget.”

The Reclaim Pride Coalition posted a statement:

"We are horrified and furious at the brutal police attack on peaceful marchers, using pepper spray, violent shoving, and arrests.

At the exact moment that Mayor De Blasio tweeted about honoring Stonewall and the LGBTQIA+ rights movement, the NYPD completely overreacted with unprovoked physical violence - including pepper spraying their own colleagues. The police harassed, assaulted, and arrested peaceful Queer Liberation March protesters in Washington Square Park, who gathered to show our collective support for Black Lives and our dedication to eradicating police violence and white supremacy in this country and in our city.

Using pepper spray against the Black and Queer community, beating LGBTQIA+ protestors with batons and bicycles, and intimidating our right to peacefully assemble, reflects the wanton disregard that the Mayor, along with the NYPD, have for the lives and safety all Black and Queer New Yorkers.

Following a shoving match between NYPD and marchers who demanded that they move away, we are relieved that our peaceful marchers finally forced NYPD to retreat — but in the process, several marchers were injured, several were arrested and are now being held at the 1 Police Plaza.

At first, the police refused to say exactly how many were arrested, or state the reasons for arrest or charges. We have just learned that three people were arrested and charged with assaulting a police officer, which is utter bullshit.

Our March for Black Lives and Against Police Brutality occurred on the anniversary of the Stonewall rebellion against police raids and brutality, and two days before the City Council will vote on a $1 billion cut to the NYPD budget. In the light of today's NYPD brutality and the arrest of peaceful marchers, we urge the Council to take immediate action to Defund the Police." - Reclaim Pride Coalition.

Its an extraordinary time.

As I write this, the Supreme Court has just sided with choice, Roberts voting with the majority.

The New York Times reports:

“Supreme Court Strikes Down Louisiana Abortion Restrictions

The case, over a state law requiring doctors performing abortions to have admitting privileges at nearby hospitals, is the first abortion ruling since two Trump appointees joined the court.”

Precedent endures, stare decisis:

“The chief justice said respect for precedent compelled him to vote with the majority.”

The precedent on this case is far reaching, a ton, on privacy, that should remain. It’s like a root of a tree, you can't pull one root without taking out the tree, the branches and everything around it.

Liberation endures even if it’s a constant struggle.

We’re seeing something here.

A crack, a glimmer of something…