The People's Party Stands Alone at the Official Pride Day Event

The government team found itself alone at the official Pride LGTBI event held this Monday in the Blue Hall of Alicante City Hall. The event, opened by government spokesperson Cristina Cutanda, included participation from representatives of the Alicante Entiende, Diversitat, and Entendemos LGTBI associations. However, the left and Vox declined to participate.

Cutanda emphasized that "Alicante is a city committed to equality" and asserted that "love has no gender and human rights are universal." She also highlighted the government's commitment to continue working towards "building a fairer and more inclusive society, because diversity enriches our lives and makes us stronger."

In the same vein, the Councillor for Social Welfare, Begoña León, expressed gratitude for the collaboration with the city's LGTBI associations in organizing the Pride events. "We gather to make visible and celebrate something that goes far beyond flags, colors, or dates; we celebrate the right to be oneself and the courage of those who, for years, had to walk in silence, hiding their truth, until one day they said 'enough' and 'here I am'." Alicante, she noted, "is a diverse, joyful, open city, and we must ensure that everyone feels part of it, without exceptions or conditions."

Representatives from the associations Alicante Entiende, Chari Fructuosa; Diversitat, Juan David Santiago; and Entendemos LGTBI, Lydia Na, participated in the event. They highlighted that this year marks the 20th anniversary of the milestone of legalizing same-sex marriage.

After the speeches, the commemorative Pride Day banner was unveiled. Tonight, the town hall building will be illuminated with the colors representing the community, as will the Luceros fountain, with alternating colors.

Additionally, Alicante is set to celebrate Pride Week from July 12 to 19, featuring a wide range of sports, festive, and cultural activities, culminating in a march, manifesto reading, and party in the town hall square on the 19th.

However, not all was praise. The associations also criticized the municipal management and the agreements between the People's Party and Vox following the economic and financial plan.

"I am ashamed and frustrated as a citizen of Alicante, a woman, and a lesbian," Fructuosa emphasized. The activist expressed her dissatisfaction with the "lack of institutional support." "We all pay taxes equally, just like heterosexuals, but some believe we do not deserve the same rights," she asserted. She highlighted that "hate is not only generated on the streets; there are policies that fuel it."

In turn, Santiago emphasized that "we need to raise our voices, denounce setbacks, and seek political accountability." The representative of Diversitat used the microphone to criticize the government team for its agreements with Vox: "We see it when you, ladies and gentlemen of the People's Party, choose to remain silent and accept Vox's setbacks." "Pride is the ideology of human rights," he stated. "Be brave and break those shameful pacts, and do not be intimidated by the marketing of fear. Alicante does not deserve this," he concluded.

From Entendemos LGTBI, Lydia Na stated that "LGTBIQ+ people have been part of humanity since consciousness existed. You are the trend, hate will pass, and attacks on our integrity will too." The activist criticized those "who want to reduce us to ideology" and highlighted that "the enemy hides behind many ideologies, including certain progressivism and trans-exclusionary feminisms." "We are here to fight against those monsters, and if we are pushed into a war, our place will always be on the front line," she affirmed.

PSOE, Compromís, and Esquerra Unida Podem have once again refused to participate in the official Pride event – the last time they attended was in 2023. The parties held a press conference before the event, explaining that they declined to attend due to the agreements between the People's Party and Vox.

The socialist municipal group rejected their participation, considering that "the mayor has bowed to the far-right policies, adopting positions that directly attack the rights of the community." Councillor Emilio Ruiz emphasized that "we will not whitewash the homophobic, transphobic, and xenophobic discourse of the People's Party and Vox at a time when hate crimes are on the rise."

From the PSOE, they recalled that the LGTBI Plan of Alicante City Council expired in 2024, and no follow-up has been conducted on the achievement of the set objectives, nor has it been renewed or updated. The socialist councillor highlighted that Pride is not just a celebration of love but a commemoration of all those who fought against police brutality and violence towards the community.

Meanwhile, from Compromís, spokesperson Rafa Mas accused Barcala of being "the most radical mayor Alicante has had in democracy. He has homophobic attitudes, not because we say so, but because his policies demonstrate it." They refer to the elimination of the Department of Equality and Diversity or the reduction in budget allocations for these areas.

"Barcala has prohibited the LGTBI flag from flying on the town hall balcony, which represents all citizens. He is systematically cutting rights, trading them to stay in power," Mas stated. The councillor recalled the massive demonstration in Hungary and affirmed that "with every blow, every setback, every cut he makes, there will be a directly proportional response in the streets to his savagery and fascist policies."

The spokesperson for EU Podem, Manolo Copé, highlighted that "there is a regression regarding policies towards the LGTBIQ+ community." "The People's Party has not distanced itself at any time from all the statements that have been homophobic and against the LGTBIQ+ community, and therefore, if silence gives consent, and the People's Party is silent in the face of the far-right's atrocities," he criticized.

Copé announced his support for the entities working with diversity in the city. "We will be in the streets during Pride again this year, and we will continue to demand a city that respects human rights and, above all, respects what the entities and collectives want to put on the table."