TORONTO – Rainbows and signs with messages of love dotted parade routes around the world as millions took part in gay pride events from Toronto to San Francisco to Seoul.
In the U.S., Pride parades in cities like New York City were historic as they came just days after the landmark U.S. Supreme Court ruling that made gay marriage legal in all 50 states.
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Organizers of San Francisco’s Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Pride Parade expect about 1 million people to line the route and featuring more than 30 floats and 240 groups marching in the parade.
“Every trailer in Nevada and California has been rented and brought in, including one from a farm in Northern California,” Gary Virginia, board president of San Francisco Pride, told the Associated Press. “I just think it’s going to be magical this year.”
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New York City expected 22,000 people marching in the city’s Pride parade and more than 2 million people to visit throughout the day. Sunday morning, Gov. Andrew Cuomo officiated at the wedding ceremony of a same-sex couple in Manhattan.
In Toronto, hundreds of thousands gathered in the city’s downtown for the 35th Pride Toronto festival Pride parade. The soggy weather and chilly temperatures didn’t dampen the spirits of parade goers who lined the route.
The parade’s Grand Marshals included Cyndi Lauper and film maker David Furnish – who was raised in Toronto and is married to Elton John.
Not all celebrations were peaceful however. In Turkey, police used water cannons to clear a rally in Istanbul. Roughly 200 marchers were chased away from Taksim Square after police fired water cannons at the crowd. According to The Dogan News Agency it was not immediately clear why police intervened in the peaceful rally.
South Korea saw its largest march in the capital city of Seoul with an estimated 22,000 people taking part. Thousands of Christian activists waved banners and chanted slogans condemning the event.
Below are images of the colourful pride celebrations around the world.
*With files from the Associated Press
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