NorthEast Two-Spirit Society and Audre Lorde Project's Executive Director Forced from Manhattan Pride March

June 29th, 2009

http://www.ne2ss.org/2009/06/29/northeast-two-spirit-society-and-audre-lorde-projects-executive-director-forced-from-manhattan-pride-march/

NEW YORK – The NorthEast Two-Spirit Society (NE2SS) and Kris Hayashi, Executive Director of Audre Lorde Project were forcefully ejected from this year's annual Heritage of Pride March in New York City yesterday.

Just before 2PM, Lieutenant Connoly of the Midtown Taskforce demanded that the People of Color Contingent leave the parade. The reason given was that a delay of 6 blocks existed between the People of Color contingent and the contingent in front of them.  NYPD raised the issue of the gap once and POC contingent marshals were in the process of closing the gap.   Kris Hayashi, Executive Director of Audre Lorde Project (ALP), and Loyda Colon also of ALP explained to Lieutenant Connoly, that they were in the process of closing the gap and Lieutenant Connoly refused to listen.  Lieutenant Connoly then insisted that the POC contingent leave the parade, and attempted to arrest both Colon and Hayashi. Lieutenant Connoly then ejected Harlan Pruden, the driver of NE2SS' support vehicle and co-founder of NE2SS, other members of NE2SS (who led the People of Color Contingent), and Hayashi from the parade. Hayashi was physically dragged off the parade route.