Judge sides with 'Prattville Pride,' orders city to allow LGBTQ group's float into Christmas parade [View all]

Source: WVTM-TV Birmingham, AL/AP

Updated: 10:35 PM CST Dec 6, 2024


PRATTVILLE, Ala. — An LGBTQ pride group that was blocked from participating in Prattville’s annual Christmas parade because of “safety concerns" will join in on the festivities following a federal hearing. The Prattville mayor’s office announced Thursday that it was pulling the float sponsored by Prattville Pride from the parade lineup, according to Montgomery NBC affiliate WSFA. Prattville Pride had registered several weeks ago to participate in the Friday parade.

Mayor Bill Gillespie Jr. said it was brought to the city’s attention from the group that there are “serious safety concerns” regarding Prattville Pride’s participation in the Christmas parade, according to a statement. The statement did not elaborate on the concerns.

“The city will not put the rights of parade participants ahead of the safety of its citizens. Because of the safety concerns for Prattville Pride, other parade participants, as well as parade bystanders, the city has made the decision to remove Prattville Pride from the Christmas parade,” the statement from the mayor’s office read.

According to WSFA, Prattville Pride quickly filed a federal lawsuit and, following a Friday hearing, a federal judge has since ordered the city to rescind the directive. "At the hearing, the City admitted that the City can easily require two officers to escort Prattville Pride’s float during the two-hour long parade and that it would not be burdensome to do so," said U.S. District Judge R. Austin Huffaker Jr.

Read more: https://www.wvtm13.com/article/prattville-pride-christmas-parade-alabama-lgbtq/63120155