The Region - News from June 12, 1985

Organizers of a gay parade scheduled for noon Sunday in Long Beach must pay about $18,000 in fees to obtain a permit for the event, Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Irving Shimer ruled. Long Beach Lesbian and Gay Pride Inc., represented by the American Civil Liberties Union, had claimed that the city was violating free speech rights by charging excessive fees to prevent “unacceptable groups” from using public streets. The City of Long Beach said the fees were to cover police and other expenses of the parade. Representatives of the gay group said they would pay under protest but file a lawsuit to recover the payment and overturn the city policy.