On February 4, New York’s state supreme justice Doris Ling-Cohan ruled that the state’s Domestic Relations Law, which prohibits same-sex marriages, was unconstitutional because it denied the right to equal protection. Ling-Cohen likened the ban on same-sex marriage to bans on interracial marriage. The effect of the ruling, which only applies in New York City, was delayed to allow an appeal. After 1000 people marched on his office in March last year to demand marriage rights, New York’s mayor, Michael Bloomberg, gave his public support to same-sex marriage. Nevertheless, he announced on the day of the verdict that he would appeal the decision, as he “had a responsibility to uphold state law”. Meanwhile, on February 2 another New York judge reinstated misdemeanour charges against New Paltz mayor Jason West for performing 24 same-sex marriages in February last year.

From Green Left Weekly, February 16, 2005.
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