Excerpt from the Advocate. Read the full article here.
“Meanwhile, a watchdog group, the Partnership for Civil Justice Fund, announced on Tuesday that it has filed Freedom of Information Act requests with the National Park Service, the Department of the Interior, the Metropolitan Police Department, and the D.C. Mayor’s Office, demanding records related to both the closure and its reversal.
“The threatened removal of public space from the public’s use, notably in relation to LGBTQ+ Pride and in apparent service to Trump’s agenda, is a dangerous step and outside the legitimate authority of the Park Service,” said Mara Verheyden-Hilliard, executive director of PCJF.
Sarah Taitz, a staff attorney at PCJF, added, “The LGBTQ+ community and general public deserve to know how and why the decision to shut Pride out of Dupont Circle was made, and how and why that decision was reversed.”
The Park Service had previously cited a recent executive order from President Donald Trump directing agencies to protect national monuments and public spaces, but critics said the move appeared politically motivated and disproportionately affected LGBTQ+ visibility. The Advocate contacted Mayor Muriel Bowser’s office for further comment.”