Quick blog since I have to take a 5:30am cab to the airport for my flight to Madrid.
Janeite and I volunteered to EuroPride 2006. The parade was much fun, and it was great to see so many companies (e.g., Shell gas) and government organizations (e.g., the people who run the Tube) supporting GLBT issues. No counter protesters were present, though as we found out shortly, England is not even close to a tolerant society yet.
After helping people find their way on the parade route and adding bodies to the small security force at the "Women's (music) stage," we headed over to a local pub to watch the World Cup match between England and Portugal. The crowd was cheerful, drunk, and funny, at least for the start of the game. At one point at the second half, a man waving a Portuguese flag walked by. Ten seconds after I uttered the words "he's taking his life into his own hands," to Janeite, did one of the hooligans (against his g/f's protest) throw his glass beer bottle at the Portugal fan. Thankfully, his drunken aim was well off.
But then things got really ugly as gay couples from the parade and festivities started walking by. Plastic bottles were thrown, obscenities were shouted, and generally rude and offensive remarks were bandied about as if this sort of behaviour was appropriate and to be encouraged. Well, Janeite and I had had enough of that, and we left the pub to find a small, quiet cafe at which to watch the rest of the match. The hooligans got their comeuppance anyway, as England lost in penalties -- again.
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