CASTLE ROCK, Colo. — Douglas County PrideFest attendees and volunteers are sharing details surrounding Saturday’s Pride celebrations that were interrupted by more than 60 protesters at the Douglas County Fairgrounds.
“I received an email from someone outlining [a group's] intentions on coming into our show,” Art Kerkezian, co-chair of Douglas County PrideFest said. “The drag show and the drag queens have always been the target."
The group blocked a drag show performance and wore shirts that read "STAND TO PROTECT CHILDREN."
“They stood up on the stone benches that they use for seating and they did not say a word. They used intimidation and caused fear in children and families. So, no, it's unacceptable,” Kerkezian said.
Kerkezian said the Pride event is family-friendly and maintaining the celebration at the Douglas County Fairgrounds is a constant battle.
Eli Bazan, the founder of the Parasol Patrol, an organization that uses colorful umbrellas to shield kids from protesters, said volunteering at this year’s event was intense.
“This was the most hate that we've encountered in Colorado since 2019,” Bazan said. “We did a lot of planning in the lead-up. We had lots of security meetings with volunteers and the head of security. We had agreed on several areas that need to be followed for security … And it seems that on the day of, none of those plans came to fruition.”
Parasol Patrol co-founder Pasha Ripley said space was set aside specifically for protesters, but rules were not followed.
“There was a free speech area, a First Amendment rights area. And protesters were more than welcome to stay there in that area. They did not. They broke those rules. They should have been escorted out immediately,” Ripley said.
Ripley said Parasol Patrol volunteers had to escort some families out of the event. Ripley said sheriff’s deputies were in attendance, but the protest lasted for more than an hour.
Even before the event started, organizers reported seeing homophobic slurs spray-painted around the fairgrounds. Ripley said she hopes security video reveals who did it and that the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office thoroughly investigates the incident.
Ripley said this protest went too far.
“We do not go, for instance, into their places of worship and stand in front of their pulpit in T-shirts and not allow their spiritual leaders to speak. It was beyond rude. It was intimidating. It was leaning on some very edgy tactics that should not be OK around kids,” Ripley said.
Kerkezian said protesters crossed the line and even though no one was physically harmed, some attendees have emotional scars.
“One of the commissioners said 'Oh we’re so glad there wasn’t physical violence.' But there was injury. There was an emotional injury to our children, our families,” Kerkezian said.
Kerkezian, Bazan, and Ripley said the Douglas County community is wonderful but a small vocal minority shouldn’t be allowed to determine who is and isn’t celebrated in Douglas County.
