In San Francisco, New York, Atlanta, Seattle and cities around the country hundreds of thousands took to the streets yesterday to take part in Gay Pride parades and to celebrate two of the most important victories in the history of the gay and lesbian rights movement. On Thursday the Supreme Court struck down all law banning gay sex and sodomy. A week earlier Canada legalized same-sex marriage.

Police in San Francisco estimated 750,000 took part or watched the festivities. Organizers said 300,000 were in Atlanta. The New York Times reported an estimated 250,000 were in the streets of New York.