STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. - They weren't allowed to march Sunday, but along the route of Staten Island's St. Patrick's Day Parade the LGBTQ community and their supporters made a statement.

Huge rainbow balloons hung outside restaurants and bars - rainbow flags almost outnumbered green ones.

"Great day to be Irish no matter what you are," said one parade goer.

Controversy over the annual parade had been swirling for weeks after the Pride Center of Staten Island was once again denied an application to march under its own banner.

Parade organizer Larry Cummings, from a local chapter of the Ancient Order of Hibernians, said that the event is a "non-sexual identification parade" and that not allowing the group to march under its own banner is "not discrimination."

Still, the ban triggered most of the island's elected officials to bow out.

"It's pretty isolating to feel as a queer Irish Catholic that we're not welcomed here, so it's amazing to see the level of visibility and support here today despite a really unjust banning," said one parade goer.

Congressional candidate Nicole Malliotakis and Senator Andrew Lanza were the only two elected officials who actually marched.

Councilman Joe Borelli showed up with his wife and two sons, wearing this tiny rainbow flag pin on his jacket. But when he lined up at the parade start, he says he was blocked from marching. The police were called over and eventually Borelli says he walked away. 

He tells NY1 the incident is sad.

Parade organizers also banned Miss Staten Island pageant winners from marching after Miss Staten Island 2020 said she'd be wearing a rainbow sash because she's bisexual. Cummings cited "security concerns."

Marching bands from Port Richmond and Tottenville High School were also told they couldn't march because some students donned rainbow attire as well.

"I think Miss Staten Island was actually very brave to come out and do what she did the night before the parade and the fact they're not letting her come out and support everyone else that's here is a little outrageous," said one parade-goer.

Cummings did not reply to our requests for comment.

In the meantime, there's an online petition circulating that seeks to remove him from his post on the parade committee.