[news] Queers Challenge BC Liberals, Police

[resist]

- FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE -

QUEERS CHALLENGE BC LIBERALS, POLICE

SUNDAY, AUGUST 3, 2003 - For the second year in a row, Queers United 
Against Kapitalism (QUAK) crashed the Pride Parade for BC Liberal MLA 
Lorne Mayencourt.  The out gay politician has been targeted by QUAK for 
the past year for his complicity in his government's attacks on the queer 
community.

This year Pride was kicked off early with a "Proud of What" poster and 
advertising campaign against MLA Lorne Mayencourt.  Supported by various 
queer union, student and community groups, the poster exposes the harsh 
realities of 2 years of Liberal rule.

The poster was also distributed along the parade route, as QUAK marchers 
jumped in to join Lorne Mayencourt in marching.  The group took to the 
streets during the Pride Parade to directly challenge the presence of 
participants like Lorne Mayencourt and the police.

We currently have a government and a gay MLA who march in our parade, 
while they cut our human rights, health care, and services for queer 
youth.   At the same time there have been numerous recent incidents of gay 
bashings where the police proved to be more than useless.  In the past 
month, during 2 separate gay bashings, the police failed to take witness 
statements and choose to not apprehend the bashers - despite being given a 
license plate number in one case and the bashers still being on the scene 
in another.  Enough is enough.

The Vancouver Pride Society named this year's parade 'marshal' us - the 
queer community.  They go on to state in this year's Pride guide, "I'm 
proud of you because you are courageous and willing to defend what is 
right and good.  I am proud of you because you are a strong individual 
with powerful convictions."

QUAK too is proud of the history of resistance and struggle waged by 
queers for justice. QUAK and other fed up queers will not stand by 
silently as our community comes under attack.  Nor will we allow our 
attackers to hijack our community events for their flailing public 
relations.

QUAK is committed to helping build a community that is strong enough to 
demand more than later bar hours.  Gay politicians and the police clearly 
aren't doing anything for our community.  Today's action is just part of 
QUAK's on-going campaign to expose the hypocrisy, and oppose the agenda, 
of Pride marchers like the BC Liberals and the police.

For more information on QUAK and our Pride activities, contact 
quak at resist.ca or call 604-682-3269 ext. 9915.

The "Proud of What" poster can be downloaded from: 
http://quak.resist.ca/posters

Happy Pride
See you in the streets
QUAK!

quak at resist.ca
604-682-3269 ext.9915

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