Over 1,000 protest bigoted Prop. 8 in Chicago

Chanting “You say Prop 8. We say stop the hate” and “You say get back. We say Fight back,” over 1,000 protesters took to the streets in Chicago on May 26. The action was called in response to the California Supreme Court ruling that upheld the anti-LGBT Proposition 8.

Over 1,000 turn out in Chicago on rainy night to fight anti-LGBT bigotry

On a rainy night, LGBT people and their allies gathered at the Center on Halsted in the Boystown neighborhood to rally and march for same-sex marriage rights. Speakers at the rally included Andy Thayer of the Gay Liberation Network and Heather Benno of the Party for Socialism and Liberation.

On the militant march down Halsted Street, hundreds of people held up handmade signs demanding equality.

Many young people, LGBT and straight, joined the action. The demonstration had a palpable fighting spirit. Calls for staying in the streets and building an independent mass civil rights movement for full equality received loud applause. Protesters showed determination to fight for same-sex marriage rights in Illinois and every state and to defeat the reactionary Defense of Marriage Act.

The protest was called by the Gay Liberation Network and co-sponsored by Join the Impact-Chicago, the Coalition for Justice and Respect and ANSWER Chicago.