Gays arrested at NYC marriage license bureau

by Rex Wockner

Four members of a new ACT UP-like group known as Queer Rising were arrested
in Manhattan on Feb. 12 after chaining themselves to the entrance of the New
York City Marriage Bureau.

Alan Bounville, Jake Goodman, Justin Elzie and Gabriel Yuri Bollag sought
equal marriage rights for same-sex couples.

Dozens of gay marriage supporters cheered them on.

Twenty same-sex couples went inside and tried to obtain marriage licenses.
They were rebuffed.

A gay man and a lesbian then presented themselves as a faux couple, asked
for a license and were given one.

"New York City is home to the Stonewall Riots, and in that tradition we are
here to say that equality doesn't arrive through the ballot box," said Queer
Rising spokesperson Spring Super.

"The bankrupt strategy of putting all efforts into electing so-called
friendly officials has failed," Super said. "We must shift to building a
grassroots, national movement that demands full equality by any means
necessary."

New York state recognizes same-sex marriages from other jurisdictions but
does not allow them itself.