Thousands Unite To Support LA Pride Parade
WEST HOLLYWOOD (CBS) — The streets of West Hollywood were filled with thousands of people Sunday celebrating the 41st annual L.A. Pride Parade.
Olympic ice skater Johnny Weir served as the grand marshal and celebrity attorney Gloria Allred and comedienne Margaret Cho addressed the crowds.
Among the most anticipated guests was a gay corrections officer whose department initially didn't allow him to march in uniform.
Officer Andrew Johnson finally broke his silence about the battle, and he finally won.
Johnson was joined in the parade by other law enforcement agencies.
The crowds lining Santa Monica Boulevard joined the parade participants as they sang and danced their way past, blaring music that stressed pride, unity and love.
The parade was a celebration but it featured serious messages -- there was a call for parents to love their children, no matter their sexual orientation, and for the end of violence and bullying against gay, lesbian and bisexual children.
(©2011 CBS Local Media, a division of CBS Radio Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Wire services contributed to this report.)
