Anger has erupted in the LGBT+ community after Pope Francis was allowed to parade down O’Connell Street during the papal visit in August, while for the past five years, the Dublin Pride Parade has been diverted away from the main thoroughfares of the country’s capital city, O’Connell Street and Dame Street.

While Dublin City Council says that it would be too expensive to have Dublin Pride march on the main thoroughfares, Panti tweeted that next June, if she has to march alone down O’Connell Street, she will be doing so.

Don't know about anyone else, but I know what parade route I'm marching next year. Even if I'm doing it on my own, I'll be be in the middle of the street where God herself intended me to be on the last Saturday in June. #GiveBackOurRoute #VisibilityIsTheWholeFeckinPoint #Pride pic.twitter.com/3vj8aTT4Iu

— Dr Panti Bliss-Cabrera (@PantiBliss) September 1, 2018

In response to the community reaction, GCN has launched a petition, asking Taoiseach Leo Varadkar to ensure that the Dublin Pride Parade regains its rightful place on the city’s main thoroughfares.

“We call on the Taoiseach and all the relevant government departments to ensure funding for Dublin Pride to march down O’Connell Street and Dame Street on the last Saturday in June 2019,” the petition says.

“We further call on the government to ensure that it be enshrined that the Dublin Pride Parade, which is the second largest major cultural event in the city after the St. Patrick’s Day Parade, is always allowed march through O’Connell Street and Dame Street, on the last Saturday in June, commemorating the liberation of LGBT people at Stonewall on the last Saturday in June 1969.

“In August, Pope Francis was allowed to parade down O’Connell Street, despite the cost incurred. Every year, the St. Patrick’s Day Parade takes place on O’Connell Street. Yet Dublin Pride, which this year brought 60,000 people to Dublin’s city centre, along with the attendant income for businesses in the city, is fully diverted away from the city’s main thoroughfares.”

If you want Dublin Pride Parade to return to its rightful place on the city’s main thoroughfares, take a moment to sign the community petition here.