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U.S. District Judge R. Austin Huffaker Jr. ruled that the City
of Prattville violated Prattville Pride's First Amendment right
to free speech and 14th Amendment right to equal protection
under the law when it banned the group from running a float in
the annual Christmas parade one day before the event was set to
take place.
“The City removed Prattville Pride from the parade based on its
belief that certain members of the public who oppose Prattville
Pride, and what is stands for, would react in a disruptive way.
But discrimination based on a message’s content 'cannot be
tolerated under the First Amendment,' ” Huffaker wrote in his
opinion.
The ruling required the city to provide at least two police
officers to escort the float throughout the parade.
On Thursday, Prattville Pride requested additional security
measures from law enforcement. In response, Mayor Bill Gillespie
Jr released a statement banning the group from the parade
altogether, citing “serious safety concerns.”
Huffaker's ruling said that, leading up to the event, some
community members “voiced vehement opposition” to the group's
inclusion in the parade, but that “the City has presented no
evidence of legitimate, true threats of physical violence.”
Gillespie's office referred to a statement posted on the city's
social media in response to a request for comment.
“The City respects the ruling of the Court and will comply with
its order. The safety of everyone involved with the parade is a
priority,” city officials said in a statement on social media.
Prattville Pride celebrated the ruling on social media.
“The Christmas parade is a cherished holiday tradition, and we
are excited to celebrate alongside our neighbors and friends in
the spirit of love, joy, and unity," the group wrote.
Prattville is a small city of about 40,000 people, just north of
the capital of Montgomery.
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