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Boston’s mayor, Marty Walsh, the son of Irish immigrants and staunch supporter of the LGBT community, boycotted the city’s St. Patricks’s Day Parade today after failing to persuade organizers to allow a group of gay and lesbian veterans to participate.

The sponsor of Boston’s parade, the South Boston Allied War Veterans’ Council, rejected an application by gay rights group Mass Equality to allow 20 LGBT service members to participate in the annual parade.

Other big sponsors, The Boston Beer Company, who brews Sam Adams beer and Heineken also backed out. In a statement the Boston Beer Company said they hoped “both sides of this issue would be able to come to an agreement that would allow everyone, regardless of orientation to participate in the parade. However, given the current status of the negotiations, we realize this may not be possible.”

Said Walsh, “As mayor of the city of Boston, I have to do my best to ensure that all Bostonians are free to participate fully in the civic life of our city. Unfortunately, this year, the parties were not able to come to an understanding that would have made that possible.”

“The St. Patrick’s Day parade was born out of the celebration of Evacuation Day, a day set aside to recognize and honor our military and those brave Americans who have banded together for the sake of freedom,” said the mayor in a statement. “And so much of our Irish history has been shaped by the fight against oppression.”

The Mayor said he was disappointed, adding, “On behalf of my entire staff, we wish the entire city a happy Saint Patrick’s Day.”

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Carrie Stone