Chanting “Don’t Cruz Here” and “Boycott, Sell Out,” some 130 people gathered at The Out NYC on 42nd Street at 10th Avenue in Manhattan yesterday to protest a meeting that Ian Reisner and Mati Weiderpass, the gay owners of the hotel, held with Texas Sen. Ted Cruz, a leading anti-LGBT voice and candidate for the Republican nomination for president. The meeting has launched a ferocious backlash.

Originally, the crowd numbered about 30, but it swelled when another 100 arrived from a marriage rally that was held in Times Square on the eve of oral arguments before the US Supreme Court in four marriage cases. Three new Gilbert Baker banners were unveiled at the rally.

The Out NYC action was sponsored by Gay USA, the Lambda Independent Democrats of Brooklyn, the Lesbian and Gay Democratic Club of Queens, the Jim Owles Liberal Democratic Club, and the Stonewall Democratic Club of NYC. Queer Nation helped.