SAN DIEGO --

The Pride Parade will draw huge crowds to Hillcrest and Balboa Park this weekend, but firefighters from the neighborhood fire station will not be participating.

The parade and firefighters have been a source of controversy since four firefighters filed a lawsuit after the 2007 parade, saying they were forced to participate and were sexually harassed. A jury agreed.

The San Diego Fire-Rescue Department now makes participation in the parade voluntary and the firefighters of Station Five, right by the parade route, have decided this year not to take part.

"We would always hope that our own neighborhood public safety officers would want to be part of this major community event," said Ron de Harte of San Diego Pride, the parade organizers. "But if they choose not to, that's their choice and we respect that."

The fire department can't comment on the situation because the lawsuit is being appealed but officials did confirm that the firefighters in Hillcrest will not be taking part in the parade.

The head of the firefighters' union, Frank De Clercq, said the policy is clear: participation is voluntary. "We've got some people who are all in favor of being a part of it and others who are not," he said.

The parade starts at 11:00 Saturday at Normal and University and ends at Balboa Park.

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