London Pride, Host Of World Pride, Considered A Success, Pride Toronto Getting Ready For 2014

Via Pink News UK:

Angela Mason, former director of Stonewall and one of the 1972 veterans, told PinkNews.co.uk: “Well, I think we’ve got it together again, despite all the obstacles. That’s always been the history of Pride. “Pride really depends on the commitment and anger of our lesbian and gay community. Politicians sometimes court us and sometimes don’t, but we’re going to carry on anyway. I think that’s very much the spirit of the original Pride, it shows we’re not dependant on political bureaucracies.” Peter Tatchell was marching among veterans under the banner ‘Decriminalise homosexuality worldwide. Global LGBT equality.’ On the parade route today, he told PinkNews.co.uk: “Despite the failures of the parade organisers, the Mayor of London and Westminster City Council, we’re here and having a fabulous WorldPride.

Also via Pink News UK, Pride Toronto already wooed crowds with thier gay cabs to promote World Pride 2014, of which they’re are the hosts to be:

Pride Toronto has unveiled a new taxi advertising campaign to promote the host city of WorldPride 2014 to gay Londoners, as the latter city handed over the mantle this weekend.
Toronto beat Stockholm to host WorldPride after winning the majority vote from leaders of gay and lesbian organisations around the globe.
As WorldPride celebrations in London have now drawn to a close, Toronto has two years to promote its host status and encourage tourism to the city, beginning by targeting the gay community in London.
Advertising agency Crispin Porter + Bogusky designed three adverts to run on the taxi fleet including the rainbow flag colours of pride in a glitter effect, a black studded cab mimicking leather fetish wear, and a bright pink cab with a fur effect.
All taxis will run with the strapline ‘Ride with Toronto Pride’ and the WorldPride logo.
Toronto Pride has funded the taxis for four weeks and will target passengers in the London districts of Soho and Vauxhall.
Advertising in the cab includes the message on the front seats: ‘If you think this cab is gay, wait until you see Toronto in 2014.’
Passengers will also be given WorldPride-branded receipts for their journeys.
John Kehoe, Managing Director at Transport Media worked on the campaign with Crispin Porter + Bogusky said the “high impact design and visibility of these taxis are sure to increase talk ability and raise awareness of WorldPride 2014”.

US Secretary Of State Hillary Clinton Sends Video Acceptance Message For World Pride Award

United Kingdom: Rainbow Flag Flies Over Government Building For First Time By Request Of Deputy PM Nick Clegg

Joe.My.God. reports:

As Pride London collapses in a morass of infighting and financial problems, British Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg has ordered that the rainbow flag be flown over a government building for the first time.

• “There has to be a first time for everything,” said Clegg, leader of the Liberal Democrat party. “Flying this iconic flag in the heart of Whitehall is a small but important emblem that the government and this country are behind equal rights,” added Clegg, whose centrist party is junior partner in a coalition led by the centre-right Conservatives. The striped rainbow flag was raised over the Cabinet Office, the ministry responsible for coordinating central government.

Andrew Belonsky notes that Pride London is beseeching the city government to prepare for the expected large crowds despite the cancellation of most events.

• To create a safe and incident-free event for revelers in Soho, Westminster Council will need to close key roads and uphold parking suspensions in the area. Because we couldn’t provide the assurances required to pay the council for these closures, the application did not progress. As a result we cannot guarantee a safe and secure event for the community in Soho and we’re forced to cancel all official Pride London events for this reason.

The partying will no doubt still carry on and bars and clubs [will be] extremely busy. However, normal licensing rules apply. We urge that revelers enjoying post-Pride in Soho keep their wits about them and stay safe.