Several law enforcement agencies will help keep attendees safe at Naples Pride’s PrideFest this weekend.
The festival includes a drag show, family activities in a zone dedicated to children and live entertainment. The event has drawn detractors, including protesters at City Council meetings and Naples Pride events.
Naples Police and the Collier County Sheriff’s Office will be on-site at Cambier Park on April 18 “to ensure the safety and protection of all attendees, as well as protestors and demonstrators.”
“Our plan involves mitigating potential risks and responding effectively to all emergencies,” Lt. Bryan McGinn, spokesperson for Naples Police, wrote in a news release.
Police said peaceful protesting and demonstrating are protected rights under the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution, which guarantees freedom of speech and the right to assemble, and added they are committed to protecting these rights.
Police said demonstrators may protest on public property, including streets, sidewalks, and city hall grounds, “provided you do not block traffic or disrupt public order.”
“Naples Pride has worked for months to create a festival that is safe, joyful, and welcoming for all,” Callhan Soldavini, an attorney and board member for Naples Pride, wrote in an April 17 statement.
“Extensive planning and strong coordination are in place so our community can come together with confidence and peace of mind. We want everyone to know there is a place for you here. Come celebrate love, visibility, and joy, because hate has no home here.”
In addition to coordination between police and Naples Pride, police remind the surrounding community to follow the laws.
Protesting on private property requires the property owner’s permission, police said.
Police remind the community that blocking vehicular or pedestrian traffic is illegal and will result in arrest. The use of amplified sound such as bullhorns or speakers is prohibited due to city ordinances.
Acts of violence, vandalism, property destruction or lewd and lascivious behavior will be strictly enforced under Florida law, police said.
Authorities ask that the community obey all security postings and posted trespass warnings, avoid confrontations with officers and refrain from resisting arrest.
Naples Pride on April 9 issued a statement in response to the city’s raising the cost in security fees by thousands.
“This year, an estimate of more than $50,000 in security fees stand between this community and the doors we fight to keep open,” Naples Pride wrote in an April 9 statement. They said the funds raised at the yearly event keep their Naples Pride Center open, which provides free mental health counseling.
In their statement, Naples Pride says the price tag is a form of viewpoint discrimination.
“We ask our community to come out and support us this Saturday,” Soldavini told the Naples Daily News on April 15. “We will dance, not because everything is easy, but because it isn’t.”
Streets around Cambier Park, facilities close for PrideFest
As a precaution, Naples Police will close adjacent street around the festival Saturday:
∎ Eighth Street South from Cambier Park Way to Eighth Avenue South;
∎ Cambier Park Way from Eighth Street South to Park Street; and
∎ Park Street from Cambier Park Way to Seventh Avenue South.
Police said several facilities within Cambier Park will also close all sport courts and fields (tennis, basketball, softball); the playground; the Norris Community Center; and the public restrooms.
Soldavini said organizers anticipate about 4,000 attendees this year.
Tomas Rodriguez is a Breaking/Live News Reporter for the Naples Daily News and The News-Press. You can reach Tomas at TRodriguez@usatodayco.com or 772-333-5501. Connect with him on Threads @tomasfrobeltran, Instagram @tomasfrobeltran, Facebook @tomasrodrigueznews and Bluesky @tomasfrodriguez.
This article originally appeared on Naples Daily News: Naples Police: Demonstrations, assembly are rights ahead of PrideFest
Reporting by Tomas Rodriguez, Fort Myers News-Press & Naples Daily News / Naples Daily News
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
