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(Updated 3/17/2015, 12:30pm)
LGBT group Irish Queers is once again protesting the New York City St. Patrick's Day Parade, which is the central event in NYC's massive St. Patrick's Day celebration of all things Irish. Today's protest comes in the wake of September's announcement that one gay group, Out@NBCUniversal, would be allowed to march under its own banner in this year's parade. That was briefly hailed as a progressive move, though closer inspection revealed that allowing the NBC group to participate was most likely cynical attempt to appease sponsors—including Heineken and Guinness—who pulled their support over the parade's antigay policies last year. (Also worth noting: NBC's local affiliate broadcasts the parade.)
RECOMMENDED: See the complete Saint Patrick's Day Parade guide
Mayor De Blasio (along with the City Council) is also skipping the Manhattan procession—last year he became the first NYC mayor to do so—though he did march in the more inclusive St. Pat's For All Parade in Queens.