Sydney lights up for gay Mardi Gras

SYDNEY: Drag queens, police, surf lifesavers and ‘Dykes on Bikes’ were among the colourful mix of thousands parading through Sydney at the annual Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras.

Organisers estimated some 500,000 party-goers turned out to watch the spectacle, with about 200 floats making their way down Sydney’s Oxford street.

Some 12,500 participants – including armed forces, politicians and celebrities – made their presence known with sparkling costumes, dancing their way through the city’s gay hub.

“People from all around Australia came together on this glittering night to witness a colourful spectacle of protest and celebration,” said Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras chief executive Terese Casu. BEIJING: A prominent Chinese human rights lawyer has reappeared two days after going missing following his release from a jail sentence for state subversion, his wife said yesterday.

Jiang Tianyong – who took on high-profile cases including those of Falun Gong practitioners and Tibetan protesters – was one of more than 200 lawyers and activists detained in a 2015 clampdown on courtroom critics of Communist

The theme for this year’s Mardi Gr as was‘ fear less ’, with a number of grassroots organisations working across a range of LGBTQI issues highlighted for their dedication to the community.

“The 2019 Mardi Gras Parade was a moment for LGBTQI people, young and old, to come together and move fearlessly into the future,” Casu added.

The roar of dozens of motorbikes carrying women and rainbow flags, or ‘Dykes on Bikes’, kicked off the parade.

This annual opening tradition was followed by the long stream of flamboyant floats, including a giant dancing yak and a sparkling display of rainbow superheros, or ‘super-queeroes’, defending gay rights.

“You can expect... my Naomi Campbell strut down Oxford authorities.

The 47-year-old had disappeared Thursday after completing his twoyear jail sentence, before he finally reappeared in his hometown of Xinyang, Henan province, said his US-based wife. Supporters had said police outside the jail he was released from told them he had been ‘taken away’ but did not specify by whom.

“After not seeing each other for six years, we were finally able to street,” drag queen Felcia Foxx, from the First Nations float, told AFP ahead of the event.

“It is such an honour to have tonight, and to celebrate and be celebrated, for who we are – our charismatic, unique selves.”

Australia’s pop princess Kylie Minogue made a brief appearance, with a dance troupe lead by drag queens donning some of her iconic costumes performing a medley of her songs in tribute.

Sydney’s Gay Mardi Gras grew out of a brutal police crackdown on political protesters in 1978 and is now one of the biggest street parties in the world.

In 2017, after more than a decade of political wrangling, Australia legalised gay marriage. But many at the parade on Saturday said much more is needed to change attitudes in Australia. — AFP

Missing Chinese rights lawyer returns home but ‘still not free’ — Wife

talk and video chat,” Jin Bianling told AFP. But even though Jiang has been released from jail, “he is still not free”, she added.

“He is living at his parents’ home now, but there are police stationed outside. Wherever he goes, the police follow him,” said Jin.

“I am also worried that he could disappear at any time, so I hope he can come to the US as soon as possible to reunite with us.” — AFP