After a similar event two years ago drew unprecedented protest from hundreds of Bartlesville residents, the City Council took action Tuesday to authorize increased police presence at a local “Pride” celebration planned for Unity Square Park on Sept. 14.
The council voted to approve a resolution that spells out steps the City will take in response to a drag show that will reportedly be held as part of the Pride celebration at the City-owned park by the group formerly known as Oklahomans for Equality (OKEQ), now Bartlesville Equality.
In 2022, the event featured a drag show that set off a firestorm of protest that included hundreds of citizens attending City Council meetings to express their concerns. As result, City staff were left trying to decipher after the fact what had occurred during the drag portion of the event and whether any laws had been violated, as alleged by numerous citizens.
The resolution approved Tuesday is an effort to address public concern and other issues more effectively, and to monitor the event in real time to ensure the safety of event participants, organizers and protesters.
The drag show portion of the event was not held in public last year after an agreement was reached with OKEQ, pending the outcome of several court cases across the country seeking to regulate or prohibit drag shows. Five of the cases are outlined in the council-approved resolution, with the courts in all cases affirming the constitutional rights of the performers. The resolution also points out failed efforts of the Oklahoma State Legislature to pass Senate Bill 503 and House Bill 2186, both of which would have regulated or prohibited public drag performances statewide.
“As addressed in the resolution, the current legal landscape does not support regulation of drag shows. As such, no restrictions on drag shows are being proposed at this time,” said City Manager Mike Bailey. “However, several members of the council had expressed a desire to take action to address the concerns of the public and ensure public safety at the event, which this resolution fully addresses.”
The resolution authorizes City staff to:
- Assign a sufficient number of police officers to monitor the event.
- Require that assigned officers have a high level of training related to lewd and lascivious acts, rights of attendees and performers at public events, and “all other topics related to” the assignment.
- Require that body-worn police cameras be turned on and recording at all times during the event.
- Meet with event organizers and protestors prior to the event when possible to communicate information necessary to help lessen tensions, improve public safety and ensure compliance with all laws and regulations.
Bailey said it is not uncommon for the City to have police officers present during protests, marches or events that draw protest.
“It is the responsibility of the Police Department to ensure the safety of the public, to preserve the rights of those in our jurisdiction, and to enforce our laws,” Bailey said. “Even without this resolution, these responsibilities will always be our highest priority.”
To view the proposed resolution in its entirety, see Res. #3717 Pertaining to public safety, lewd acts in public, protests and constitutional rights of the public in public spaces 9-3-24.