Milan Pride delays start to 5 p.m. as heatwave grips Italy; Paris cancels its parade entirely

A delayed start under extreme heat

Milan's 25th Pride parade went ahead on Saturday 27 June despite temperatures forecast to reach 38–40°C. Organisers postponed the start from 3:30 p.m. to 5 p.m., a decision they said would "recover shade along the route and make participation easier." The gathering point in Via Vittor Pisani remained at 4:30 p.m., with the march itself beginning at 5 p.m. from Piazza della Repubblica. The three-kilometre route ends at the Arco della Pace, where a final event and public party are scheduled from 8:30 p.m. until 1 a.m.

Paris cancels, Milan proceeds

In contrast, Paris police asked organisers to cancel several public events this weekend, including the Pride parade, to avoid overloading emergency services already strained by the extreme heat. The police chief's office stated that if organisers did not comply, "the police chief will ban them." Milan's mayor Giuseppe Sala confirmed the city's event would go ahead: "The programme in Milan does not change, I will be there too. I will ban alcoholic drinks and in the coming days we will open a discussion to move the parade date, but starting from next year."

Health precautions on the ground

Organisers published an online guide and map marking shade spots, public water fountains, and five medical checkpoints equipped with first aid, water, mineral salts, and earplugs. Three mobile response teams were also deployed. A field hospital was set up both along the route and at the Arco della Pace. Participants were advised to use high-protection sunscreen, wear hats and sunglasses, drink regularly, and consider walking only part of the route or heading directly to the final square. The closing event could also be followed via a dedicated LED wall on the cooler lawn of Parco Sempione or streamed on YouTube.

Internal tensions and absences

Not everyone welcomed the decision to proceed. Regional councillor and activist Luca Paladini announced he would not attend, citing a heart condition. "I know my clinical picture as a fragile person and I am frightened by the idea of spending hours on the street," he said, urging organisers to find solutions so that "no one, the elderly, children, the sick, has to give up the demonstration." Separately, historic venues Borgo delle Perse and LeccoMilano withdrew their floats in protest against what they described as a lack of support from the Pride coordination in a battle over new municipal nightlife ordinances. The event's political document, which contains references to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, also drew criticism.

A broader heat emergency

Saturday's parade unfolded as Italy endured its first intense heatwave of the summer. An orange alert was issued for much of the Emilia-Romagna plain, where temperatures were expected to reach 38–39°C. Bari remained under a level-3 warning, the maximum heat-risk level. Campania issued a heatwave advisory through Monday, with temperatures 5–6°C above the seasonal average and high humidity. Veneto also remained on alert.

Looking ahead

The theme of this year's Pride, "Bodies in Revolt, Fighting for Rights," was chosen in response to what organisers described as a growing climate of discrimination. Fanpage noted the recent murder of a son and his mother in Camaiore, where the father reportedly could not accept his son's sexual orientation, as an example of why such events remain essential. Mayor Sala's commitment to discuss a permanent date change from next year signals that the climate question is now firmly on the agenda for one of Italy's largest Pride events, which was expected to draw 350,000 people.