Over 1 million at Rio’s Pride Parade

12th annual Gay Pride Parade had an estimated 800, 000 to 1.2 million people attend the parade at Avenida Atlantic in Copacabana. Despite the relatively cool temperatures many participants were scantily clad as they danced to samba music in celebration. Rio’s Governor Sergio Cabral made history by opening the parade and was the first governor in history to attend the event. The parade focus was a bill to Brazil’s congress to stop homophobia and same sex marriage rights. According to human right groups in Brazil up to 2,582 gays have been murdered in the past 10 years