Instead of marching, they were taking “significant security precautions,” said SDPD Lt. Hundreds of uniformed officers - police from San Diego, Los Angeles, La Mesa, Chula Vista and Escondido, plus the California Highway Patrol and other agencies - patrolled the parade route. There was a shadow over the festive atmosphere, thanks to recent terrorist attacks on public gatherings, including last week’s murderous rampage by a driver in Nice, France. Secretary of the Army Eric Fanning, the first openly gay person to lead a branch of the armed forces. “We have unprecedented support.”ĭignitaries included San Diego Mayor Kevin Faulconer and U.S. “This year we had almost double our previous participation,” said David Whittaker, a Qualcomm executive and president of eQuality. Qualcomm’s eQuality group numbered about 400, made up of LGBT employees and supportive straight co-workers - a group that includes CEO Steve Mollenkopf, marching in his third Pride parade.
