Aurora approves permit for pride parade
AURORA, Ill. (WLS) -- Aurora officials approved a permit Tuesday for a gay pride parade to be held on June 17.
The city's Government Operations Committee voted 2-0 to issue the permit, according to Chuck Adams, founder of Indivisible Aurora.
Ald. Scheketa Hart-Burns did not vote. A majority of the 3-person committee was all that was needed to grant the permit to Indivisible Aurora.
Mayor Richard Irvin, who made history in Aurora when he became the first black person to be elected to that office last spring, released a statement on Monday saying that the city welcomes everyone and that the parade would be a "positive thing for our city."
"It is the right of the organizers to stage the parade," the statement said. "Dr. (Martin Luther) King also said that a right delayed is a right denied. I hope my colleagues will not delay this matter."
Indivisible Aurora said the parade would not cost taxpayers a cent. It has already raised thousands of dollars and will reopen fundraising.
