Trudeau makes history, joins gay pride march in Toronto

MONTREAL, Canada — Justin Trudeau made history Sunday by marching with tens of thousands of people in Toronto’s Gay Pride parade, becoming the country’s first sitting prime minister to participate.

Thunderous applause greeted Trudeau as he paraded down a main Toronto artery, waving a Canadian maple-leaf flag bordered with a rainbow.

The youthful politician, whose popularity is soaring, donned a salmon-colored, button-down shirt and white jeans, taking selfies and shaking hands with those lining the parade route.

The colorful procession observed a minute of silence to pay respect to the victims of the June 12 nightclub massacre in Orlando, Florida that left 49 dead.

The city tightened security, but kept the enhanced measures discreet to maintain a festive spirit. Toronto police have not released an official attendance count, but organizers had expected one million attendees.

Trudeau also walked in the annual parade last year as head of the Liberal Party, then the opposition leader facing former president Stephen Harper’s conservative government.

Ontario Premier Kathleen Wynne — Canada’s first openly gay head of a province — and Toronto Mayor John Tory marched alongside Trudeau.

The three politicians attended an outdoor worship service Sunday morning in the city’s gay district.

source: newsinfo.inquirer.net

Attack on LA Gay Pride parade thwarted

LOS ANGELES, United States — A man whose car contained a cache of weapons and bomb-making materials was arrested on Sunday after telling police he wanted to “harm” the Los Angeles Gay Pride parade, authorities said.

James Howell, 20, was detained in nearby Santa Monica with multiple weapons, ammunition and bomb-making materials in his car, which had Indiana license plates, police said.

The arrest came just hours after 50 people were massacred at a gay nightclub in Florida.

Santa Monica police chief Jacqueline Seabrooks said on Twitter that Howell told officers about “wanting to harm (the) Gay Pride event,” in reference to the annual L.A. Pride parade that took place in Hollywood on Sunday amid beefed up security.

Santa Monica police said in a statement that Howell was arrested after a resident reported a prowler knocking on their door and window at around 5:00 am.

When officers responded, they found Howell sitting in a car with three assault rifles, high-capacity magazines and ammunition, the statement said.

“Additionally, officers discovered a five-gallon bucket with chemicals capable of forming an improvised explosive device,” it added.

Seabrooks said there was no known connection between Howell and the carnage in Orlando, Florida — the worst mass shooting in US history.

Authorities said they had considered calling off the parade but then decided to go forward while beefing up security, including placing undercover police in the crowd.

The march went ahead without incident.

source: newsinfo.inquirer.net