A Northern California city has denied a request to host a “straight pride” parade in a local park after organizers lost their liability insurance.
The National Straight Pride Coalition’s application to host an Aug. 24 event in Modesto, Calif., was turned down on Friday, The Associated Press reported.
{mosads}Modesto city spokesman Thomas Reeves told the news service that the permit was rejected because the group lost its liability insurance. The local parks department had earlier determined that the rally was not an appropriate use of Graceada Park.
The group will be allowed to rally at a downtown plaza if it can provide proof of insurance by Tuesday, Reeves noted.
The event’s organizer, Don Grundmann, said as many as 500 people were estimated to attend the rally in support of heterosexuality, Christianity and white contributions to Western civilization.
Grundmann told local news outlet CBS 13 last month that the rally was intended as a cultural celebration in response to “anyone that supports the LGBTQ lifestyle.”
“Essentially, it boils down to two religious views of the world,” Grundmann said. “One is Christianity, which is represented by heterosexuality, a culture of life, and its opponent is the LGBT movement, which is represented by an opposing religion and an opposing view of life.”
Chris Holland and other Modesto residents planned to stage a counterprotest, the AP reported.
“They are dressing up their homophobic agenda as a celebration, which mocks everything that pride is about,” Holland told the news service.
A similar request to host a “Straight Pride” parade in Boston was approved, making national headlines.
Super Happy Fun America, a group that “advocates on behalf of the straight community,” was granted the city’s permission to host the parade on Aug. 31.
Right-wing provocateur and former Breitbart editor Milo Yiannopoulos was named the parade’s grand marshal.