(17 Mar 2014) TRACKED SCRIPT:
AS BAGPIPES AND DRUMS PLAYED, THE CROWDS LINING THE STREETS AT NEW YORK'S ST. PATRICK'S DAY PARADE WERE VISIBLY LESS�(NATS)
(SOUNDBITE: ALLEN ROSKOFF/PROTESTER)
"How can we feel safe when the police department is willing to march in a homophobic parade?"
MEMBERS OF THE LGBT COMMUNITY PROTESTED THE EXCLUSION OF GAYS. PARADE ORGANIZERS HAD BANNED PRO-GAY SIGNS AND PROHIBITED MARCHERS FROM IDENTIFYING THEIR SEXUAL ORIENTATION.
(SOUNDBITE: BRENDAN FAY/PROTESTER)
"As a gay man I'm excluded from this parade simply because we want to march with our banner. Our group is called lavender and green alliance."
NEW YORK MAYOR BILL DE BLASIO ATTENDED A ST. PATRICK'S DAY BREAKFAST BUT BOYCOTTED THE PARADE BECAUSE OF THE POLICY�
BIG NAME SPONSORS SUCH AS GUINESS AND HEINEKEN ALSO PULLED OUT�GUINESS ISSING A STATEMENT SAYING QUOTE:
(GRAPHIC)
"We were hopeful that the policy of exclusion would be reversed for this year's parade. As this has not come to pass, Guinness has withdrawn its participation."
YET NYPD COMMISSIONER BILL BRATTON CHOSE TO MARCH
(SOUNDBITE: BILL BRATTON/COMMISSIONER NYPD)
"The NYPD has such an association with the Irish and there are several thousand of my officers marching today so I thought it very important to be with them."
SOME SPECTATORS WERE PUT OFF BY THE POLITICS AND THE MAYOR'S ABSENCE
(SOUNDBITE: MARY CILIBERTI/NEW YORKER)
"I think anybody should be able to march, however, we're all here because we're Irish and I think that's why they should be here too."
BUT TIMES MIGHT BE CHANGING FOR THE PARADE THAT PREDATES THE CITY OF NEW YORK�BONNY GHOSH, ASSOCIATED PRESS.
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