Latest news with #DCPride
07-06-2025
- Politics
Ahead of WorldPride, US Park Police, NPS close off key Pride gathering spot
There are no known credible threats to the nation's capital as tens of thousands gather in Washington this weekend to celebrate WorldPride, Capital Pride's 50th anniversary, officials told ABC News. But despite that, the U.S. Park Police and National Park Service have temporarily closed Dupont Circle Park, long the site of unofficial Pride parties and gatherings in the city, and that decision is drawing objections. Preparations for the international celebration have been years in the making, and at least one party promoter already advertised an event in the park before the closing was announced. After a debate between federal officials, city police and LGBTQ+ activists, the U.S. Park Police announced the park would close from 6 p.m. on Thursday, June 5, through approximately 6 p.m. on Sunday, June 8. Closing the park, federal officials say, is part of a broader federal security plan amid what they say are concerns about crowd control and potential disruptions. In recent years, the space has seen several incidents that that officials say prompted concern from law enforcement. According to authorities, in 2019, a person was arrested after gunshots caused crowds to flee. In 2023, the park was vandalized, resulting in $175,000 in damage to the historic fountain. In 2024, a group of minors was found drinking, smoking marijuana and fighting in the park. They later ran into nearby businesses and reportedly stole items. In a letter obtained by ABC News, the U.S. Park Police wrote that the closure is necessary to "secure the park, deter potential violence, reduce the risk of destructive acts and decrease the need for extensive law enforcement presences." Both the U.S. Park Police and the Metropolitan Police Department cited unsafe conditions and property damage during Pride weekend festivities in 2019, 2023 and 2024. MPD initially requested in April that the park be closed for Pride weekend. However, MPD Chief Pamela Smith, the first African American woman to lead the U.S. Park Police in its 200-year-plus history, attempted to get the closure rescinded after public backlash, saying, "D.C. is no stranger to high-profile gatherings. We have a proven track record of hosting them safely and successfully, and this year will be no different." But the U.S. Park Police and the National Park Service denied the request. The agencies said the request "does not provide any remedy or solutions to the significant amount of criminal activity and resource destruction that has historically been committed in Dupont Circle Park during DC Pride weekend, or the large strain on law enforcement resources that would be remedied by a park closure with anti-scale fence." MPD will have an increased presence throughout D.C. during WorldPride and Capital Pride. It will coordinate with neighboring jurisdictions and activate special units to assist with crowd management and traffic. Police will also increase patrols in high-crime areas starting this weekend through the end of August. "MPD, alongside all of our district agencies and public safety partners, have been working for many months to plan for these large-scale events that are happening this summer, and our joint planning efforts have included site visits, tabletop exercise, intelligence coordination and layered security strategies tailored uniquely to these events to ensure that we can keep our city safe for World Pride 2025," Smith said. "We have been planning for over a year." Days after WorldPride, the nation's capital will host a June 14 military parade marking the 250th anniversary of the Army, though officials said there aren't any known credible threats for that event either. That Army parade will be the sixth National Special Security Event that Washington has hosted this year. "There's no place more experienced than the District of Columbia in executing these large-scale events," Deputy Mayor for Public Safety and Justice Lindsey Appiah said last week.
Yahoo
06-06-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
DC park will close after all for WorldPride weekend
The National Park Service said Friday it would temporarily close the park at the center of Washington's historic LGBTQ neighborhood ahead of the city's annual Pride weekend, moving forward with plans that local officials believed had been scrapped. The temporary closure of Dupont Circle Park came at the request of the U.S. Park Police (USPP), the Park Service said in an order uploaded Friday to its website approving the installation of anti-scale fencing around the park's perimeter through 6 p.m. EDT Sunday. 'Less restrictive measures will not suffice due to the security-based assessment of the USPP that this park area needs to be kept clear,' the Park Service said. In a letter dated June 4, Park Police Maj. Frank Hilsher wrote to Kevin Griess, superintendent of National Mall and Memorial Parks, that the agency's closure request 'is based solely on several previous years of assaultive, destructive and disorderly behavior exhibited in Dupont Circle during the DC Pride weekend.' 'The USPP maintains that a physical barrier effecting a full closure of Dupont Circle is necessary,' Hilsher wrote, to 'secure the park, deter potential violence, reduce the risk of destructive acts and decrease the need for extensive law enforcement presences.' An earlier letter sent in April to Park Police Chief Jessica M.E. Taylor from Pamela A. Smith, chief of Washington's Metropolitan Police Department (MPD), recommended that tall no-climb fences be temporarily installed around the park. 'Over the years, Dupont Circle Park has been a popular location for Pride attendees to congregate, despite not being a sanctioned Pride event,' Smith wrote in the letter. 'In the past five years, the Metropolitan Police Department and the United States Park Police have taken proactive steps, including increased police presence and enhanced lighting around the park.' 'However, significant challenges persisted, including unpermitted large gathering with sound equipment, illegal vending and grilling, alcohol use, multiple physical altercation, and vandalism of the historic fountain and statue,' she added. Smith withdrew the MPD's request to temporarily close the park earlier this week 'after hearing from community leaders and residents,' she wrote in a June 3 letter to Taylor. In the same letter, Smith pointed to specific disruptions that influenced her initial request, including a 2019 arrest in Dupont Circle Park after parkgoers heard gunshots and vandalism during Pride weekend in 2023 that resulted in roughly $175,000 in damage to the park's more than 100-year-old fountain. The park's closure is another obstacle for those in charge of WorldPride, an international LGBTQ Pride celebration taking place this year in Washington. The Capital Pride Alliance, the organizers of WorldPride D.C., have hit several snags related to Trump administration policies that disproportionately affect LGBTQ people. DC hosts WorldPride: What to know about weekend bash In April, the group issued a travel advisory for transgender visitors from abroad, citing President Trump's executive order recognizing only two sexes, male and female, and a new State Department policy barring trans, nonbinary and intersex Americans from updating the sex designations on their passports. The same month, the Capital Pride Alliance announced it was moving WorldPride events from the Kennedy Center to 'ensure our entire LGBTQ+ community will be welcome' following Trump's takeover of the cultural institution in February. In posts on Truth Social, Trump said drag performances at the Kennedy Center 'will stop' under his leadership and called drag, an art form that is deeply rooted in LGBTQ culture and history, 'anti-American propaganda.' The White House has also declined to issue a proclamation for Pride Month. In an emailed statement, the Capital Pride Alliance said it 'is frustrated and disappointed in the National Park Service's decision – again – to close Dupont Circle during the culmination of WorldPride this weekend.' 'This beloved landmark is central to the community that WorldPride intends to celebrate and honor. It's much more than a park, for generations it's been a gathering place for DC's LGBTQ+ community, hosting first amendment assemblies and memorial services for those we lost to the AIDS epidemic and following tragic events like the Pulse nightclub shooting,' the group said. 'This sudden move was made overnight without consultation with the Capital Pride Alliance or other local officials.' No official WorldPride activities were planned in Dupont Circle Park, the Capital Pride Alliance said, 'thus no events will be impacted.' D.C. Councilmember Brooke Pinto (D-Ward 2), representing the Dupont Circle neighborhood, said she is 'extremely disappointed and frustrated' that the park will not remain open for Pride weekend. 'This closure is disheartening to me and so many in our community who wanted to celebrate World Pride at this iconic symbol of our city's historic LGBTQ+ community,' Pinto wrote Friday in a post on the social platform X. 'I wish I had better news to share.' 'World Pride will continue this weekend and it will be a time of celebration and commitment to uplift our LGBTQ+ neighbors,' she added. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
The Hill
06-06-2025
- Politics
- The Hill
DC park will close after all for WorldPride weekend
The National Park Service said Friday it would temporarily close the park at the center of Washington's historic LGBTQ neighborhood ahead of the city's annual Pride weekend, moving forward with plans that local officials believed had been scrapped. The temporary closure of DuPont Circle Park came at the request of the U.S. Park Police (USPP), the Park Service said in an order uploaded Friday to its website approving the installation of anti-scale fencing around the park's perimeter through 6 p.m. Sunday. 'Less restrictive measures will not suffice due to the security-based assessment of the USPP that this park area needs to be kept clear,' the Park Service said. In a letter dated June 4, Major Frank Hilsher wrote to Kevin Griess, superintendent of National Mall and Memorial Parks, that the USPP's closure request 'is based solely on several previous years of assaultive, destructive and disorderly behavior exhibited in Dupont Circle during the DC Pride weekend.' 'The USPP maintains that a physical barrier effecting a full closure of Dupont Circle is necessary,' Hilsher wrote, to 'secure the park, deter potential violence, reduce the risk of destructive acts and decrease the need for extensive law enforcement presences.' An earlier letter sent in April to USPP Chief Jessica M.E. Taylor from Pamela A. Smith, chief of Washington's Metropolitan Police Department, recommended that tall no-climb fences be temporarily installed around the park. 'Over the years, DuPont Circle Park has been a popular location for Pride attendees to congregate, despite not being a sanctioned Pride event,' Smith wrote in the letter. 'In the past five years, the Metropolitan Police Department and the United States Park Police have taken proactive steps, including increased police presence and enhanced lighting around the park.' 'However, significant challenges persisted, including unpermitted large gathering with sound equipment, illegal vending and grilling, alcohol use, multiple physical altercation, and vandalism of the historic fountain and statue,' she added. Smith withdrew MPD's request to temporarily close the park earlier this week 'after hearing from community leaders and residents,' she wrote in a June 3 letter to Taylor. In the same letter, Smith pointed to specific disruptions that influenced her initial request, including a 2019 arrest in DuPont Circle Park after parkgoers heard gunshots and vandalism during Pride weekend in 2023 that resulted in roughly $175,000 in damage to the park's more than 100-year-old fountain. The park's closure is another obstacle for those in charge of WorldPride, an international LGBTQ Pride celebration taking place this year in Washington. The Capital Pride Alliance, the organizers of WorldPride DC, have hit several snags related to Trump administration policies that disproportionately affect LGBTQ people. In April, the group issued a travel advisory for transgender visitors from abroad, citing President Trump's executive order recognizing only two sexes, male and female, and a new State Department policy barring trans, nonbinary and intersex Americans from updating the sex designations on their passports. The same month, the Capital Pride Alliance announced it was moving WorldPride events from the Kennedy Center to 'ensure our entire LGBTQ+ community will be welcome' following Trump's takeover of the cultural institution in February. In posts on Truth Social, Trump said drag performances at the Kennedy Center 'will stop' under his leadership and called drag, an art form that is deeply rooted in LGBTQ culture and history, 'anti-American propaganda.' The White House has also declined to issue a proclamation for Pride month. In an emailed statement, the Capital Pride Alliance said it 'is frustrated and disappointed in the National Park Service's decision – again – to close Dupont Circle during the culmination of WorldPride this weekend.' 'This beloved landmark is central to the community that WorldPride intends to celebrate and honor. It's much more than a park, for generations it's been a gathering place for DC's LGBTQ+ community, hosting first amendment assemblies and memorial services for those we lost to the AIDS epidemic and following tragic events like the Pulse nightclub shooting,' the group said. 'This sudden move was made overnight without consultation with the Capital Pride Alliance or other local officials.' No official WorldPride activities were planned in DuPont Circle Park, the Capital Pride Alliance said, 'thus no events will be impacted.' D.C. Councilmember Brooke Pinto (D-Ward 2), representing the DuPont Circle neighborhood, said she is 'extremely disappointed and frustrated' that the park will not remain open for Pride weekend. 'This closure is disheartening to me and so many in our community who wanted to celebrate World Pride at this iconic symbol of our city's historic LGBTQ+ community,' Pinto wrote Friday in a post on the social platform X. '. I wish I had better news to share.' 'World Pride will continue this weekend and it will be a time of celebration and commitment to uplift our LGBTQ+ neighbors,' she added.
Yahoo
03-06-2025
- General
- Yahoo
DC police recinds request to close Dupont Circle park during WorldPride after pushback from DC community
EDITOR'S NOTE: This story has been updated to clarify information from the Metropolitan Police Department and the status of the park. WASHINGTON () — Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) leadership reversed its this weekend, just hours after authorities announced it would be closed during WorldPride. On Monday night, NPS said the park would temporarily be closed due to 'a history and pattern of destructive and disorderly behavior from unpermitted activities happening in the park during past DC Pride weekends, including vandalism in 2023 that resulted in approximately $175,000 in damage to the historic Dupont Circle fountain,' according to a spokesperson. It was a joint with the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) and U.S. Park Police (USPP), NPS noted. RELATED COVERAGE: Dupont Circle park to be closed this weekend during WorldPride The announcement caused immediate pushback from local leaders and D.C. residents, many of whom believe the park is a central park of the local LGBTQ+ community. Within hours, there were whispers that the park would remain open. In a social media Tuesday morning, D.C. Councilmember Charles Allen wrote, 'This would be the wrong move. The park is an important part of DC's Pride celebrations, gatherings, and history. We're hearing this decision may be reversed by MPD, with some accommodations to protect the fountain, and Dupont Circle park will remain open this weekend. 🌈 ⛲️ Man seen tearing down Dupont Circle Pride decorations; DC police investigating Ward 5 Councilmember Zachary Parker said he spoke with MPD Chief Pamela Smith, who said the decision to close the park would be rescinded. 'The Park is central to the lgbtq community, and neighbors will be able to enjoy it this year for World Pride,' he on social media. On Tuesday afternoon, MPD confirmed it rescinded its request to close the park, noting how important the park is to the Pride celebration. The final decision still lies with the U.S. Park Police. In a statement shared with DC News Now, a spokesperson said: Chief Pamela A. Smith has heard from community members and understands how significant Dupont Circle Park is to the Pride celebration. The following letter was sent to the U.S. Park Police, formally rescinding MPD's request to close Dupont Circle Park this weekend. MPD stands ready to support the National Park Service and the U.S. Park Police during this weekend's events. The Metropolitan Police Department 'Wicked' star Cynthia Erivo performing at WorldPride music festival in DC In a letter, the department explained that there have been significant challenges in Dupont Circle Park after formal Pride events concluded, leading to the initial decision to close the park this upcoming weekend. For example, Chief Smith said, in 2019, an individual was arrested after gunshots were heard in the park, causing people to flee, thinking there may have been an active shooter. In 2024, a large group of juveniles entered the park and 'engaged in unpermitted and illegal activities,' she added. This included drinking alcohol, smoking marijuana and fighting. Some of them also ran into local businesses and stole items. To prevent the recurrence of prior year's incidents, particularly with the demands of WorldPride 2025, MPD requested the closure of Dupont Circle Park and the installation of anti-scale fencing around its perimeter this upcoming weekend. However, after hearing from community leaders and residents, I am formally withdrawing MPD's request to close Dupont Circle Park and the installation of anti-scale fencing around its perimeter from Thursday, June 5, 2025, through Monday, June 9, 2025. MPD Chief Pamela A Smith in a letter shared with DC News Now NPS officials have not confirmed whether the park will remain open. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Washington Post
03-06-2025
- General
- Washington Post
‘Pride isn't just a party. It's a protest.'
This year marks the 50th anniversary of some of the earliest official D.C. Pride events. D.C. is also hosting WorldPride, one of the largest international celebrations of LGBTQ+ communities in the world. But some LGBTQ+ people say it doesn't feel like a time for celebration. Amid mounting political and cultural attacks, a rise in hate crimes and slashing of health care, some fear the rollback of hard-won rights. As D.C. decks itself in rainbows and welcomes WorldPride, many LGBTQ+ people are finding inspiration not by imagining a brighter future — but instead by revisiting a more hostile past. Reporter Marissa Lang has been out all over the D.C. region speaking to trailblazers of the LGBTQ+ rights movement. What advice can these living legends offer in difficult times? Today's show was produced by Emma Talkoff, who also contributed reporting. It was mixed by Sam Bair and edited by Maggie Penman. Subscribe to The Washington Post here.
