And in the French Quarter, a strong police presence was evident. Local sheriff’s deputies were posted outside the Phoenix. In the French Quarter, rainbow-flags and bunting were everywhere but over the door to one lounge there was an image of a black mourning ribbon next to a rainbow-hued one. One bar near the Phoenix had pasted the logo of the Pulse over its door. Reminders of the nightclub shooting were inescapable. “So I’m happy to be here to celebrate life and celebrate all of us.” “It’s like all the grieving is sort of seen again,” he said. “It’s really hit me hard,” said Equi, who said he lost a partner to suicide a couple of years ago. But I’m…” he shook his head and his voice trailed off. In New Orleans, Frank Bonner and Pedro Egui wore matching American flag tank tops as they stood with their arms around each other outside a bar called the Phoenix where the city’s pride parade would pass.īonner and Egui both had Orlando on their mind. “We thoroughly believe in what he’s doing and thoroughly believe in his happiness.” “We’re just down here to support him,” she said. Her son was performing Saturday at the Chicago festival, and Hora-wearing a button with the words ‘I love my gay son’ said it was important for her to turn up and cheer him on.
The school bus driver from suburban Rolling Meadows, Illinois, said her son, a drag performer, had done a show at Pulse in October and has a close friend who lost a cousin in the attack. Thousands gather at Capitol Park in Boise, Idaho, for the annual PrideFest rally and parade Saturday, June 18, 2016. The only outward sign of the Orlando attack was a makeshift memorial of flowers, rainbow flags and candles clustered on a street corner a few blocks away. I would call it just living your life and not being scared to live your life.”īy noon, a DJ had already cranked the music to ear-splitting volume, energizing a crowd that included young clubbers, families pushing kids in strollers, and retirees. Attorney Kavita Puri said that after Orlando, the Chicago event took on even more importance.