UTAH: Provo Relents On Allowing LGBT Groups In July 4th Parade After Threat To Public Funding [VIDEO]

Ben Winslow reports at Salt Lake City’s Fox affiliate:

After hours of sometimes heated negotiation, a deal has been struck that lets a coalition of groups representing Utah County’s lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community into the popular Freedom Festival parade and patriotic celebration.

It came after intense political and community pressure on the festival and hours of closed-door talks that FOX 13 was told included tears and shouting, but ultimately, agreement and compromise. Mormons Building Bridges’ Kendall Wilcox said all LGBTQ groups would now be allowed in the parade with a float.

“They will house multiple LGBT groups on the float, it will be under the theme of ‘Utah’s LGBT Community Celebrates America, United We Stand,'” he said. The about-face came after LGBTQ groups and some politicians pushed back at America’s Freedom Festival, calling on public officials to pull funding for the massive parade and patriotic celebration.