A North Reading board member is under fire for remarks viewed as discriminatory ahead of local Pride parade.
A North Reading selectman sparked controversy during a recent board meeting by suggesting that drag performers in the town’s “Pride Ride” undergo criminal background checks and cover the cost of their police detail.
In a video recording of the June 2 hearing, the proposal — which later prompted an apology from the selectman to event organizers — quickly drew ire from the other board members, who said it unfairly targeted the LGBTQ+ community.
The fifth annual North Reading Pride Ride, a vehicle parade, takes place on Sunday, June 22…