Date: Wed, 5 Jun 1996 10:36:23 -0700 (PDT) From: Rex Wockner Subject: WOCKNER--TIJUANA PRIDE EXPECTS LARGE TURNOUT ACCENT MARKS, ETC: GRUPO Y QUE? TAKES AN UPSIDE-DOWN QUESTION MARK BEFORE THE Y AND AN ACUTE ACCENT ON THE E, GARCIA TAKES AN ACUTE ACCENT ON THE I, MEXITLAN TAKES AN ACUTE ACCENT ON THE A. 500 EXPECTED AT JUNE 29 TIJUANA PRIDE MARCH Warning On Popular Gay Bar by Rex Wockner (329 words) TIJUANA, Mexico -- More than 500 people are expected at Tijuana's second annual gay-pride march Saturday, June 29, says organizer Alejandro Garcia of Grupo ?Y Que?. "People saw that there was no repression from police or spectators last year, so they won't be afraid to come this time," Garcia said. The parade begins at 2 p.m. at the Torre Agua Caliente, the large monument in the park at the south end of Revolution Avenue (two blocks beyond 10th and Revolution). It will end at the Mexitlan museum on Negrete Avenue between Second and Third streets. Negrete is two blocks east of Revolution. There will be a rally at the museum, followed by an all-day fiesta, Garcia said. Organizers have worked hard to promote this year's parade and visitors are expected from Ensenada, Mexicali, Los Angeles and Long Beach, along with San Diego. U.S. volunteers are needed. Phone 011-52-66-80-99-63, 80-94- 82 or 84-22-61. Subhead: Trouble At Popular Bar In other Tijuana news, activists are warning Mexicans and Americans alike to stay away from the popular gay bar El Ranchero located in Plaza Santa Cecilia near Second Street and Constitution Avenue. Up to 10 persons a day are being robbed and assaulted in the bar's entryway and bathrooms, several activists said. The crimes are being committed by thugs who believe gay victims are unlikely to go to the police, activists reported. For years, El Ranchero -- unlike other Tijuana gay bars -- has resisted calls that it hire security officers, gay leaders charged. Late at night, the plaza area outside the bar is also unsafe, with the same thugs committing up to 15 assaults nightly, activists warned. There have been no similar problems at any of Tijuana's other gay nightspots, activists said. A lengthy Spanish-language report on the situation appears in the current issue of Frontera Gay, Tijuana's gay newspaper. It is available at Hillcrest gay businesses in San Diego and from sidewalk newsstands in Tijuana. - end - Wockner photos available: * Alejandro Garcia * Bar El Ranchero * last year's Tijuana pride parade