Pride event organizers in Boston are gearing up for a month of fun-filled events — and making sure that, as the president of Boston Pride for the People put it, those events are “safe and joyous.”
Organizers are taking those steps as federal agencies issued a public service announcement earlier this month about possible targeting of LGBTQ+ related events during Pride Month. Boston police told GBH News there are no known threats against local Pride events.
“There needs to be awareness without alarm,” said Tanya Neslusan, the executive director of the LGBTQ+ advocacy group MassEquality.
“I don’t think the general public needs to be concerned,” she added. “Organizers of Pride events need to be aware of the threats and work with proper authorities, who are apprised of whatever threats there are.”
Adrianna Boulin, the president of Boston Pride for the People, said her group is aware of the advisory and is working to keep this year’s event safe.
“We are in close contact with our partners at the City and state who will help us prioritize the safety of everyone who comes to Pride while allowing for the true message and celebration of LGBTQ+ Pride to shine,” Boulin wrote to GBH News.
Wolf Hamel, committee member of the Boston Dyke March on June 7, is also keeping safety in mind.
“This is something we’ve been thinking about for a while,” Hamel said. “We kind of develop our own contacts with people who pay attention to kind of our local, right-wing folks — you know, like NSC-131, or something like that, the folks who organized Straight Pride.”
Last year’s Boston Dyke March attracted between three and four thousand people. Hamel said their group recruits and trains community safety volunteers called the “dyke patrol,” who are trained in de-escalation and crowd management, and Hamel suggests attendees seek out community volunteers if they run into any problems.
“We try to use our volunteers to create a buffer so that, you know, people feel welcome at our event and safe at our event,” Hamel said.
Nina Selvaggio is executive director of Greater Boston PFLAG, an advocacy and equity-affirming group of parents, families, and friends of LGBTQ+ individuals. She said her group will march in the June 8 Boston Pride for the People parade, but is keenly aware of safety amid an intense national climate.
Selvaggio attributes the vitriol, domestically, to the election year.
“I think it’s frightening. We are in a moment in time that’s incredibly charged,” she told GBH News.
Selvaggio specifically points to anti-trans hatred and some 500 bills introduced at the state level around the country to restrict rights of LGBTQ+ people. She also cited the hoax bomb threat at Boston Children’s Hospital, and the Southern Poverty Law Center’s identification of several active hate groups in Massachusetts.
“Because it is really based in hate and fear, and I think it’s hard for little kids to understand that someone would hate them or want to do them harm, simply because of who they are, who they love,” Selvaggio said.
Sergeant Detective John Boyle, a Boston Police spokesman, tells GBH News there is no known threat against Boston Pride events. Boyle said there will be a police presence at the Boston Pride for the People parade and that, as always, if people “see something, say something” — report it.
While Boston police will be on hand at the Dyke March, Hamel said many in the LGBTQ+ community have had negative experiences with police.
“There’s a lot of people who got maced by the Boston cops. There’s a lot of people who had hearing damage from the sirens. And they just don’t feel safe with a large police presence around,” Hamel said.
The national public service announcement, issued May 10 by the FBI and DHS, said “foreign terrorist organizations (FTOS) or their supporters may seek to exploit increased gatherings associated with upcoming June 2024 Pride Month.”
The federal agencies flagged specific potential indicators of a more serious threat, like specific and violent threats, unusual surveillance of events, and attempts to bypass security.
Boston’s Pride parade and other events are rooted in commemorating the Stonewall riots of 1969, which served as the catalyst for the gay rights movement. Many in the LGBTQ+ community see June Pride events as an opportunity to celebrate civil rights wins and create a joyous atmosphere for LGBTQ+ families and allies.
Selvaggio said she’s not surprised by the national public service announcement, and while it is difficult to explain homophobia or transphobia to a child, their approach will be for families and children to march with bubbles and noisemakers and lead with love.
“We can’t be silenced. We won’t be silenced,” Selvaggio said. “We think it’s important to celebrate who we are, to be out and proud — and, at the same time, working to ensure that our folks are safe.”
