INDIANAPOLIS — The ACLU of Indiana is suing the City of Loogootee for allegedly blocking a Pride festival.
According to the ACLU, the city initially approved a permit for PrideFest 2024 to take place Sept. 7.
The ACLU claims the Loogootee City Council has since passed two new ordinances changing the application process for using city property and rescinded its approval of PrideFest. The claims say the council then failed to vote on a new application for the PrideFest.
The ACLU said the first Loogootee Pride festival was held in June 2023 with about 200 people attending at the public square.
The suit alleges the new application for PrideFest was submitted in February, has been on the council agenda, and organizers have been at every meeting without it ever being voted on by the council.
The ACLU issued the following statement:
“The City of Loogootee’s revocation of its November 2023 permission to hold PrideFest 2024 and its actions since that time violate the First Amendment to the United States Constitution. The latest city special events ordinance is unconstitutional in many ways. It, and the actions of the City Council, clearly indicate that Councilmembers are trying to deny our plaintiffs the ability to hold their event because they disagree with a celebration of the LGBTQ community.”
The suit goes on to claim the city is allowing Summer Fest to happen on June 10 at the public square, but its organizers didn't even get a permit.
As a result, the ACLU is asking the court to allow PrideFest to happen without a permit.
To read more on the suit, click here.