LGBTQ groups turned away from Staten Island St. Patrick’s Day Parade again

Another year, another rejection.

The ban on LGBTQ groups from Staten Island St. Patrick’s Day Parade will stay in place for at least another after organizers turned away the Pride Center of Staten Island and the Gay Officers Action League (GOAL) during a hostile registration event on February 12.

Carol Bullock, the executive director of the Pride Center of Staten Island, showed up to the registration table alongside LGBTQ marchers and allies — including members of GOAL as well as State Senator Jessica Scarcella-Spanton — to sign up for the borough’s March 5 St. Patrick’s Day Parade.

Bullock said she was immediately met with antagonism from the event’s organizer, Larry Cummings, who has repeatedly rejected her pleas for inclusion in the annual march. Every year, she is turned away. 

“As soon as I walked in the door, a gentleman stopped everyone and Larry Cummings came up the steps and started engaging with the people outside,” Bullock said. “He was not nice. And then one of the reporters tried to come in where I was and he pushed him out.”

At that point, Bullock said, Cummings looked at her and said, “You run a homosexual organization. I’m not accepting your application — now get out.”

Cummings then locked the door, according to Bullock, who later returned with some police officers. GOAL eventually submitted their application, which was rejected, and then Bullock entered with a lieutenant.

Bullock said she tried to engage with Cummings by showing him a news article about the recent news about the pope’s views regarding LGBTQ individuals and presenting him with the program guide for the Staten Island Pride Center. 

“He wasn’t having it,” Bullock said. “I respectfully put down my application. He started asking me who gave me a copy of the application. I said, ‘Don’t worry about it,’ but he said, ‘No, I want to know.’ As I walked out, he said something and I turned back. The lieutenant said, ‘Carol, just keep…