LGBT Cops Bow Out of Philly Pride

Members of the Greater Philadelphia Gay Officer Action League were supposed to serve as grand marshals for Philadelphia's annual Pride march June 12, but the organization has pulled out after stiff community resistance.

Some objected to the choice of the LGBT police officers because the Stonewall uprising -- the impetus for the first Pride celebrations -- happened in a response to a police raid on a gay bar; such raids were a common tactic for cracking down on LGBT people in the 20th century. A Change.org petition cemented the opposition to the police serving as grand marshals.

The officers' league decided to pull out of the festivities to ensure scandals didn't mar this year's celebration.

A representative with Philly Pride told the Associated Press that members "applaud the actions of Philly GOAL because this certainly avoided the tumult that would have resulted by the threatened actions to 'shut down' the 2016 parade."