Boston St. Patrick's Day Parade Organizers To Revisit Gay Veterans Ban

BOSTON (AP) — The organizers of Boston's embattled St. Patrick's Day parade have scheduled an emergency meeting to reconsider their vote to shut out a gay veterans group.

This week's decision to bar OutVets from marching drew immediate condemnation from high-profile politicians and stirred up a furor on social media.

Ed Flynn is a member of the South Boston Allied War Veterans Council, which is organizing the March 19 parade. Flynn voted to allow OutVets to march. He says the emergency meeting will take place Friday.

OutVets was first allowed to participate in the parade in 2015.

OutVets founder Bryan Bishop says he was told the group was barred this year because they broke parade rules by carrying a rainbow banner. The organizing council considers it a symbol of gay sexuality.

On Friday, Painters and Allied Trades District Council 35 announced it will not march in the parade unless OutVets is included, joining Teamsters Local 25, which withdrew a day earlier.

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