TIJUANA, Mexico – Tijuana’s 11th annual Pride parade failed to happen on June 18. More than 50 people gathered at 4:00 p.m. outside the Alliance Against AIDS Clinic on First Street, saying they received e-mails or saw Web postings about the parade. In fact, a detailed Web page at www.yque.4t.com promoted the parade and listed 25 commercial sponsors. But the organizers never showed up at the starting point. Neither did the police, meaning no permit had been secured.

Two calls to the number listed on the Web site were answered by people who claimed to have no information. That number used to be the home number of parade founder Alejandro García, who died of AIDS-related complications in 2004. As people continued making calls on cell phones, rumors began to circulate that the organizers had canceled the parade one day earlier following squabbles among the Pride committee members.

At about 4:45 p.m., the people present held an impromptu meeting and decided that if they attempted to march without a police permit, they would be arrested, so the group disbanded. There was some talk of trying to reorganize the parade for a week later.

Previous parades have drawn up to 400 marchers – with hundreds more walking along on the sidewalks, out of view of media photographers. The parade goes down Avenida Revolución, downtown Tijuana’s main street and a popular destination for U.S. tourists.