Guinness pulls out of NYC St Patrick’s march over gay row
By Sam Rigby
Guinness has pulled its sponsorship of New York City’s annual St Patrick’s Day parade.
The company will not be involved with this year’s march after organisers refused to allow groups carrying pro-gay signs to take part, the Telegraph reports.
The decision came after New York’s famous Stonewall Inn threatened to stop serving Guinness to customers.
Heineken have also withdrawn their support of this year’s march over the controversy.
New York City Mayor Bill De Blasio will become the first mayor in decades not to take part in the annual event.
Boston’s Mayor Martin Walsh chose not to take part in his city’s parade yesterday (March 16) after talks to include gay rights groups halted.
Ireland’s Taoiseach Enda Kenny responded to the controversy by saying that St Patrick’s Day is about celebrating “Irishness” rather than “sexuality”. He will take part in New York’s annual parade today.