New Jersey citizen files complaint over exclusion of LGBTQ+ groups in Staten Island's St. Patrick's Day Parade

A New Jersey citizen demands the top officer in New York to stop the St. Patrick's Day parade on Staten Island. (Photo by Pascal Bernardon from Unsplash)

A man from New Jersey demands the top officer in New York to stop the St. Patrick's Day parade on Staten Island.

He also wants to act against a West Brighton church that discriminates against LGBTQ+ organizations.

Complaint over Exclusion of LGBTQ+ Groups

John Bellocchio's lawsuit with New York Attorney General Letitia James cites Larry Cummings, president of the Richmond County St. Patrick's Day Parade Committee. Still, it focuses heavily on Blessed Sacrament R.C. Church.

On Thursday, Feb. 16, a call placed to Cummings' mobile phone remained unanswered, and the Archdiocese of New York was referred to in response to a call placed to Blessed Sacrament.

Joe Zwilling, a spokesman for the Archdiocese, stated that neither the Archdiocese of New York nor the Blessed Sacrament church is in charge of organizing the parade or determining who can participate.

"It is the entire duty of the parade organizers, who are an independent group separate and different from the archdiocese," he added.

However, because of the discriminatory nature of the parade and the church's association with the people who organized it, Bellocchio requests that James cancel the train and take action against the church. That reportedly stripped it of its non-profit status.

In addition, on Sunday, Mar. 5, the St. Patrick's Day Parade will occur on Forest Avenue, regardless of the weather.

Exclusion of LGBTQ+ Groups

Crossmap reported that the Rainbow Center of SI and the Gay Officers Action League (GOAL) had submitted applications to participate in the Sunday parade at Blessed Sacrament Church.

However, according to parade committee director Larry Cummings, the upcoming St. Patrick's Day parade on Mar. 5 should not include LGBTQ+ groups marching under their banner.

Since 2018, the Pride Center of SI's executive director, Carol Bullock, has applied for the group to participate in the march. Due to the parade's regulations, she did not anticipate the center being permitted this year, as it had been rejected annually.

Bullock remained optimistic as over a dozen supporters, wearing pride pins and holding Irish and pride flags, delivered their applications to Cummings at the church's basement entrance.

Cummings requested Bullock to leave because she represents a homosexual organization.

GOAL's recording secretaries, Bullock and Joyce Garrison, resubmitted their applications. They were each rejected again.

According to reports, the Staten Island St. Patrick's Day parade is the only event that prohibits LGBTQ+ groups from marching under their banner.

The local St. Patrick's Parade will be held along Forest Avenue on Mar. 5. Still, the event will miss a previously observed tradition.

As mentioned, in solidarity with the LGBTQ+ groups excluded by the parade's organizers, the organizers of a longtime political brunch at Jody's Club Forest stated on Wednesday, Feb. 15, that they would end the tradition.

Terence Haggerty, the bar's proprietor, brought up the idea of the West Brighton march being canceled since fewer people want to participate in the LGBTQ+ exclusion. He did not mince words when assigning blame.

The "Jerome X. O'Donovan Parade Day Breakfast" organizers had informed him they would not be booking the location. The traditional breakfast is made in honor of the late former Councilman Jerome "Jay" O'Donovan.

Haggerty stated that the bar would remain open on Mar. 5.