Outfest in Philadelphia

The 15th annual Outfest drew about 30 protesters to Center City, but there were few reported clashes.
Despite fears that protests would mar the party, the 15th annual Outfest went off without any major problems yesterday as thousands crowded the streets of Philadelphia's "gayborhood" to celebrate gay pride.
Last year's city-sanctioned street festival was blemished when 11 members of Repent America, a local antihomosexual evangelical Christian group, were arrested for refusing to move from in front of a stage performance.
Yesterday, some of those protesters joined members of the Street Preachers' Fellowship, which is based in Johnstown, Pa., for a total of about 30 antigay activists who spread their word at the festival in small groups.
"At this point, you're not going to get converts. This is their big day. But I'm here to rain on their parade," said street preacher Ruben Israel, 43, who had flown in from Los Angeles. He carried a sign that said the letters in gay stand for "God Abhors You."
Although Israel and others did picket and preach, their signs were often obscured by rivals' banners and their words blocked out by chants of "Dance off!" and "Fascists out!"
Carol Cavanaugh, 58, and her partner of 20 years, Fran Beam, 65, enthusiastically blew the free whistles provided by festival organizer Philly Pride Presents to drown out the megaphone-amplified voice of Repent America director Michael Marcavage. Between blasts could be heard such fragments as we're just here to warn you and judgment day and atonement and sin.
"We're here to have some fun, celebrate our gayness, not bother anybody," said Cavanaugh, of Rhawnhurst. "It's a shame they have to be here."
When 9-year-old Christopher Gomez saw the protesters, he was confused.
"Mommy," he asked, "what's that about?"
Mary Gomez replied, "Some people don't like gay people."
The answer seemed to further puzzle Christopher, whose mother is in a lesbian relationship. Mary Gomez, 44, said this was the first event she had attended with her four children, ages 9 to 18.
"You've just got to ignore them," Gomez, of Reading, said of the protesters, "but it's hard for kids. They've never seen this nastiness before."
Outfest stretched through an area of Center City considered the heart of the city's gay community - roughly Juniper Street to 11th Street and Walnut Street to Pine Street. Most people were unaware of the protesters until the groups, surrounded by counterprotesters and police officers, moved through the area.
"I'm just going to walk around the block to avoid them," said Bill Deitz, 33, of Collingswood. "My God accepts everybody."
One man, whose name was not available, was arrested on accusations that he punched a protester in the back, but the alleged assault did not appear to have been related to the message the victim was preaching. The man and his mother were rolling a refrigerator through the crowd when they got stuck, which apparently angered the man, police said.
The charges against the 11 people last year were dismissed, and Repent America has filed a civil-rights lawsuit against the city, contending it and police favored Outfest participants.
Marcavage said he considered yesterday a success.
"I had some fruitful discussions with several people," he said. "I think everyone was aware we were here."
from Philadelphia Daily News