Brewers pull out of ‘anti-gay’ parades

Two more big brewers have pulled out of planned St Patrick’s Day parades over their organisers’ refusal to let gay and lesbian groups march openly.

On Friday The Boston Beer Co., who brew Samuel Adams beer, pulled out of the South Boston St. Patrick’s Day Parade today over its organisers’ refusal to let a gay veterans group march.

Their refusal to take part was sparked by a row between gay-rights group MassEquality and the parade organisers, Allied Veterans War Council, according to a report in The Boston Herald.

Then, on Sunday, Guinness announced it would be pulling its sponsorship from the New York St Patrick’s Day Parade, due to take place today, days after Heineken pulled out, according to a report by waow.com.

Both parades are allowing LGBT members to march but are not allowing signage of sexual orientation to be displayed angering gay rights groups.

LGBT advocacy group GLAAD had planned an anti-Guinness event for today while gay rights group Stonewall Inn had threatened to stop selling Guinness beer if the company continued to sponsor the parade.