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- MICHELLE ARCHULETA BLOWS BUBBL ATOP A FLOAT THE DENVER PRIFT PARA, JUNE 17, 2018. (KEV J. BEATY/DENVERE) ULIS MEDRANO DANC WH A FLAG THE DENVER PRIFT PARA, JUNE 17, 2018. (KEV J. BEATY/DENVERE) STUNTS OM THE LOGAN SCHOOL FOR CREATIVE LEARNG HANG OUT OF A B THE DENVER PRIFT PARA, JUNE 17, 2018. (KEV J. BEATY/DENVERE) FULLER SAID THAT AS PART OF THE PROCS TO OBTA PERMS FOR THE EVENT, PRIFT WAS REQUIRED TO WORK WH DPD, WHO’LL BE ON DUTY DURG THE WEEKEND’S EVENTS. “THEY’RE THERE, AND THEY’RE MONORG THE EVENT AND ARE PREPARED TO ACT SE OF AN EMERGENCY, AS IS DENVER FIRE DEPARTMENT,” FULLER SAID. LAST YEAR, POLICE WERE NOT VED TO PARTICIPATE PRIFT’S VIRTUAL PARA. BUT THIS YEAR, POLICE AS SECURY IS EXPECTED, AND EVEN REQUIRED. “THERE’S A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN POLICE PARTICIPATG THE PARA AS EHER MARCHERS OR DRIVG A VEHICLE THE PARA AT ENTRY, VERS THE REQUIREMENT OF A STREET CLOSURE PERM TO MANAGE 100,000 PEOPLE UP AND DOWN THE STREET,” FULLER SAID. “YOU N’T DO THAT UNLS YOU’RE WORKG WH POLICE. SO THERE WILL ALWAYS BE POLICE PRENCE AT PRI FOR THAT REASON.” POLICE CLED TO SHARE WH HOW HEAVY THE POLICE PRENCE WILL BE. SOME MUNY MEMBERS SAID KNOWG THAT POLICE WILL BE THERE IS NTRIBUTG TO THEIR UNEASE GOG TO PRI. “THE POLICE HAVE BEEN KNOWN FOR A LONG TIME TO HARASS THE GAY MUNY,” SAID DENVER RINT AND DRAG PERFORMER CHARL FLEMG, WHO ALSO GO BY THE NAME DIAMOND STARR. “IT MAK ONE OF THOSE SUATNS WHERE THE ON YOU SHOULD TST TO TAKE RE OF , WE N’T TST THEM EHER.” FLEMG SAID THEY’VE BEEN HARASSED BY THE POLICE. AND THEY MENTNED ONE CINT LAST YEAR, WHERE THE NYPD ON DUTY AT NEW YORK CY’S PRI EVENTS PEPPER SPRAYED SEVERAL PRI PARTICIPANTS. “IT’S CINTS LIKE THAT THAT JT DON’T MAKE THE MUNY FEEL SAFE,” FLEMG SAID. PRI SELF IS LTERED WH A HISTORY OF POLICE VLENCE. THE FIRST PRI PARAS TOOK PLACE ON THE ANNIVERSARY OF THE 1969 STONEWALL RTS, WHICH WERE A SERI OF PROTTS FOR LGBTQ+ RIGHTS FOLLOWG A POLICE RAID OF THE STONEWALL INN, A GAY BAR NEW YORK CY. “PRI SHOULD BE A TIME OF CELEBRATN AND REMEMBRANCE, Y,” FLEMG SAID. “IT’S A PARTY. BUT WE STILL NEED TO REMEMBER WHERE ME OM, WHICH IS THE STONEWALL RTS. THAT SOMETIM GETS FOTTEN THE MSAGE.” LAST YEAR, RPONSE TO PROTTS AGAST POLICE HARASSMENT AND VLENCE FOLLOWG THE MURR OF GEE FLOYD, A NUMBER OF PRI CELEBRATNS ACROSS THE UNTRY OPTED TO BAN POLICE OM MARCHG PRI. DENVER’S OWN PRIFT BANNED POLICE OM PARTICIPATG THE VIRTUAL PARA. “THE BLACK LIV MATTER PROTTS REALLY HELD TO ACUNT OVER THAT. SO WE DID NOT VE POLICE TO PARTICIPATE,” FULLER SAID. STILL, FULLER SAID, THERE WERE SOME LGBTQ+ OFFICERS WHO WERE UPSET ABOUT THE CISN. THIS YEAR, AS PRIFT WAS SET TO RETURN TO A LIVE, FULLY -PERSON EVENT, THE CENTER WAS NONTED WH QUTNS ABOUT HOW MUCH TO VOLVE POLICE. “THE QUTN REALLY WAS, PECIALLY THE NTEXT OF THE BLACK LIV MATTER PROTTS AND THE HISTORY OF PRI REALLY STARTG AS A PROTT AGAST POLICE, WAS APPROPRIATE FOR POLICE PARTMENTS TO KD OF GET THE LGBT STAMP OF APPROVAL BY DRIVG A R DOWN THE PARA ROUTE, WHEN THERE WERE REALLY QUTNS ABOUT POLICE VLENCE AGAST MUNY MEMBERS, SPECIFILLY MUNY MEMBERS OF LOR?” FULLER SAID. “AND WE REALLY WRTLED WH THAT QUTN.” FULLER SAID THE CENTER HELD A NUMBER OF NVERSATNS WH BOTH LAW ENFORCEMENT AND MUNY MEMBERS OVER THE LAST YEAR BEFORE LANDG ON A CISN THAT FULLER ACKNOWLEDG WILL NOT PLEASE EVERYONE: POLICE WILL BE PRENT AND ON DUTY, AS REQUIRED BY LAW. THE CENTER WOULD NOT VE POLICE AGENCI OR POLICE PARTMENTS TO PARTICIPATE THE PARA. HOWEVER, THE CENTER VELOPED A NEW NTGENT LLED “PRI ON DUTY COLORADO,” A GROUP OF LGBTQ+ POLICE OFFICERS AND OTHER FIRST RPONRS WHO WILL BE ALLOWED TO MARCH TOGETHER THE PARA, THOUGH NOT UNIFORM. “THAT WAS THE PROMISE WE ME TO. IT HAS NOT NECSARILY SATISFIED EVERYBODY. AND HAS SATISFIED SOME PEOPLE,” FULLER SAID. “I WILL SAY THAT OUR MUNY IS NOT UNED AT ALL ON THIS ISSUE. THERE ARE SOME WHO FEEL VERY, VERY STRONGLY THAT POLICE SHOULD NOT BE PART OF THE PARA OR ANY WAY AT ALL. AND THERE ARE THOSE WHO FEEL EQUALLY AS STRONGLY THAT BY NOT CLUDG POLICE, THAT YOU’RE DISCRIMATG AGAST LGBT OFFICERS.” FLEMG SAYS THEY UNRSTAND THE REQUIREMENT FOR POLICE TO BE ON DUTY. BUT THEY TAKE ISSUE WH THE CENTER VG POLICE TO PARTICIPATE THE PARA. “SOMETIM WHEN YOU PROMISE, YOU SHOULD PROMISE TO ERR ON THE SI OF UTN, RATHER THAN ERR ON TRYG TO PLAY POLICS,” FLEMG SAID. “NO ONE’S GONNA BE HAPPY ABOUT THE SUATN NO MATTER WHAT. BUT FEELS LIKE THEY’RE MORE ABOUT PLAYG POLICS THAN ABOUT SAFETY RIGHT NOW.” DENVERE HAS REACHED OUT TO DPD FOR MENT ABOUT THE BAT OVER POLICE VOLVEMENT PRI, AND WHETHER DPD HAS ANY MUNY-SPECIFIC TRAG PROGRAMS FOR HOW TO RPOND DURG PRI. WE WILL UPDATE THIS STORY IF THEY RPOND. FLEMG HAS LIVED DENVER SCE 2006. OVER THE YEARS, THEY’VE ONLY MISSED ONE DENVER PRIFT, AND HAVE EVEN PERFORMED ONSTAGE AT PAST EVENTS. BUT THIS YEAR, THEY SAID, THEY WON’T BE ATTENDG DENVER’S PRI EVENTS BEE OF SAFETY NCERNS. “IT’S SORT OF A TCH 22. IT’S LIKE, YOU DON’T FEEL SAFE BEE OF ALL THE WHE SUPREMACY PEOPLE OUT THERE. BUT YOU DON’T FEEL SAFE BEE OF THE PS EHER. THERE’S NO WAY TO FEEL 100% SAFE ANYMORE, SEEMS LIKE, AT THAT BIG OF A PRI,” FLEMG SAID. “THERE IS NO ONE RIGHT OR WRONG ANSWER BEE, UNFORTUNATELY, WE DO NEED THE POLICE FOR SAFETY. BUT AT THE SAME TIME, WE DON’T FEEL SAFE BY THE POLICE.” THEY SAID THE CISN WAS A PARTICULARLY SAD ONE, BEE THIS YEAR, PRIFT IS BUTG A SOBER SPACE, SOMETHG FLEMG HAD WANTED TO SEE AT PRI FOR A LONG TIME. “IT’S SAD THAT I N’T EVEN FEEL SAFE TO GO SUPPORT A SOBER SPACE WHOUT FEELG THE SAFETY ISSU,” THEY SAID. “NOT EVERYTHG ABOUT PRI IS BAD THIS YEAR, BUT I WOULD SAY ’S BAD WHEN YOU N’T SUPPORT THE GOOD THGS WHEN YOU FEEL SRED.” FLEMG FEELS THAT AS DENVER PRIFT HAS GROWN, HAS ALSO E TO FEEL LS SAFE. “AS PRI HAS GROWN THROUGHOUT THE YEARS, ’S FELT NOT AS CLOSE-KN,” FLEMG SAID. “NOT LIKE PEOPLE WATCHG EACH OTHER’S BACKS, BUT MORE LIKE ONE OF THE SUATNS WHERE YOU HAD TO WATCH YOUR OWN.” THEY SAID THAT GO FOR THE BIG THREATS, LIKE ACTS OF VLENCE, BUT ALSO SOME OF THE SMALLER-SLE SAFETY NCERNS PEOPLE MIGHT NEGLECT WHILE WORRYG ABOUT BIGGER THREATS, LIKE WATCHG THEIR DRKS. THIS YEAR, FLEMG HAS STEAD BEEN ATTENDG A NUMBER OF SMALLER PRI EVENTS OTHER COLORADO TOWNS. THEY SPENT LAST WEEKEND AT A PRI EVENT AVON, WHICH FLEMG SAID SAW HUNDREDS OF ATTEN. “I’VE NOTICED THAT A LOT MORE SMALLER PRIS ARE POPPG UP,” FLEMG SAID. “I’M WONRG IF THAT HAS SOMETHG TO DO WH THE FACT THAT NOT AS MANY PEOPLE ARE WANTG TO GO TO THE BIG PRI.” FLEMG SAID A NUMBER OF THEIR IENDS ALSO PLAN TO SKIP DENVER PRIFT THIS YEAR, THOUGH SEEMS AS THOUGH THERE’S A B OF AN AGE SPL- THEIR YOUNGER IENDS THEIR 20S SEEM MORE CLED TO ATTEND THAN THOSE WHO ARE 30 OR OLR. FLEMG ATTRIBUT THAT TO OLR MUNY MEMBERS HAVG LIVED THROUGH MORE STANC OF HARASSMENT AND VLENCE. “MY AGE GROUP REMEMBERS WHAT WAS LIKE. WE’VE SEEN , WE’VE LIVED ,” FLEMG SAID. “I REMEMBER PEOPLE DYG. I’M THE MATTHEW SHEPARD GENERATN.” RON RICKSHAW AND GAY ONYX STEELE RI A PEDIB DOWN COLFAX DURG THE DENVER PRIFT PARA, JUNE 17, 2018. (KEV J. BEATY/DENVERE)
- MICHELLE ARCHULETA BLOWS BUBBL ATOP A FLOAT THE DENVER PRIFT PARA, JUNE 17, 2018. (KEV J. BEATY/DENVERE) ULIS MEDRANO DANC WH A FLAG THE DENVER PRIFT PARA, JUNE 17, 2018. (KEV J. BEATY/DENVERE) STUNTS OM THE LOGAN SCHOOL FOR CREATIVE LEARNG HANG OUT OF A B THE DENVER PRIFT PARA, JUNE 17, 2018. (KEV J. BEATY/DENVERE) FULLER SAID THAT AS PART OF THE PROCS TO OBTA PERMS FOR THE EVENT, PRIFT WAS REQUIRED TO WORK WH DPD, WHO’LL BE ON DUTY DURG THE WEEKEND’S EVENTS. “THEY’RE THERE, AND THEY’RE MONORG THE EVENT AND ARE PREPARED TO ACT SE OF AN EMERGENCY, AS IS DENVER FIRE DEPARTMENT,” FULLER SAID. LAST YEAR, POLICE WERE NOT VED TO PARTICIPATE PRIFT’S VIRTUAL PARA. BUT THIS YEAR, POLICE AS SECURY IS EXPECTED, AND EVEN REQUIRED. “THERE’S A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN POLICE PARTICIPATG THE PARA AS EHER MARCHERS OR DRIVG A VEHICLE THE PARA AT ENTRY, VERS THE REQUIREMENT OF A STREET CLOSURE PERM TO MANAGE 100,000 PEOPLE UP AND DOWN THE STREET,” FULLER SAID. “YOU N’T DO THAT UNLS YOU’RE WORKG WH POLICE. SO THERE WILL ALWAYS BE POLICE PRENCE AT PRI FOR THAT REASON.” POLICE CLED TO SHARE WH HOW HEAVY THE POLICE PRENCE WILL BE. SOME MUNY MEMBERS SAID KNOWG THAT POLICE WILL BE THERE IS NTRIBUTG TO THEIR UNEASE GOG TO PRI. “THE POLICE HAVE BEEN KNOWN FOR A LONG TIME TO HARASS THE GAY MUNY,” SAID DENVER RINT AND DRAG PERFORMER CHARL FLEMG, WHO ALSO GO BY THE NAME DIAMOND STARR. “IT MAK ONE OF THOSE SUATNS WHERE THE ON YOU SHOULD TST TO TAKE RE OF , WE N’T TST THEM EHER.” FLEMG SAID THEY’VE BEEN HARASSED BY THE POLICE. AND THEY MENTNED ONE CINT LAST YEAR, WHERE THE NYPD ON DUTY AT NEW YORK CY’S PRI EVENTS PEPPER SPRAYED SEVERAL PRI PARTICIPANTS. “IT’S CINTS LIKE THAT THAT JT DON’T MAKE THE MUNY FEEL SAFE,” FLEMG SAID. PRI SELF IS LTERED WH A HISTORY OF POLICE VLENCE. THE FIRST PRI PARAS TOOK PLACE ON THE ANNIVERSARY OF THE 1969 STONEWALL RTS, WHICH WERE A SERI OF PROTTS FOR LGBTQ+ RIGHTS FOLLOWG A POLICE RAID OF THE STONEWALL INN, A GAY BAR NEW YORK CY. “PRI SHOULD BE A TIME OF CELEBRATN AND REMEMBRANCE, Y,” FLEMG SAID. “IT’S A PARTY. BUT WE STILL NEED TO REMEMBER WHERE ME OM, WHICH IS THE STONEWALL RTS. THAT SOMETIM GETS FOTTEN THE MSAGE.” LAST YEAR, RPONSE TO PROTTS AGAST POLICE HARASSMENT AND VLENCE FOLLOWG THE MURR OF GEE FLOYD, A NUMBER OF PRI CELEBRATNS ACROSS THE UNTRY OPTED TO BAN POLICE OM MARCHG PRI. DENVER’S OWN PRIFT BANNED POLICE OM PARTICIPATG THE VIRTUAL PARA. “THE BLACK LIV MATTER PROTTS REALLY HELD TO ACUNT OVER THAT. SO WE DID NOT VE POLICE TO PARTICIPATE,” FULLER SAID. STILL, FULLER SAID, THERE WERE SOME LGBTQ+ OFFICERS WHO WERE UPSET ABOUT THE CISN. THIS YEAR, AS PRIFT WAS SET TO RETURN TO A LIVE, FULLY -PERSON EVENT, THE CENTER WAS NONTED WH QUTNS ABOUT HOW MUCH TO VOLVE POLICE. “THE QUTN REALLY WAS, PECIALLY THE NTEXT OF THE BLACK LIV MATTER PROTTS AND THE HISTORY OF PRI REALLY STARTG AS A PROTT AGAST POLICE, WAS APPROPRIATE FOR POLICE PARTMENTS TO KD OF GET THE LGBT STAMP OF APPROVAL BY DRIVG A R DOWN THE PARA ROUTE, WHEN THERE WERE REALLY QUTNS ABOUT POLICE VLENCE AGAST MUNY MEMBERS, SPECIFILLY MUNY MEMBERS OF LOR?” FULLER SAID. “AND WE REALLY WRTLED WH THAT QUTN.” FULLER SAID THE CENTER HELD A NUMBER OF NVERSATNS WH BOTH LAW ENFORCEMENT AND MUNY MEMBERS OVER THE LAST YEAR BEFORE LANDG ON A CISN THAT FULLER ACKNOWLEDG WILL NOT PLEASE EVERYONE: POLICE WILL BE PRENT AND ON DUTY, AS REQUIRED BY LAW. THE CENTER WOULD NOT VE POLICE AGENCI OR POLICE PARTMENTS TO PARTICIPATE THE PARA. HOWEVER, THE CENTER VELOPED A NEW NTGENT LLED “PRI ON DUTY COLORADO,” A GROUP OF LGBTQ+ POLICE OFFICERS AND OTHER FIRST RPONRS WHO WILL BE ALLOWED TO MARCH TOGETHER THE PARA, THOUGH NOT UNIFORM. “THAT WAS THE PROMISE WE ME TO. IT HAS NOT NECSARILY SATISFIED EVERYBODY. AND HAS SATISFIED SOME PEOPLE,” FULLER SAID. “I WILL SAY THAT OUR MUNY IS NOT UNED AT ALL ON THIS ISSUE. THERE ARE SOME WHO FEEL VERY, VERY STRONGLY THAT POLICE SHOULD NOT BE PART OF THE PARA OR ANY WAY AT ALL. AND THERE ARE THOSE WHO FEEL EQUALLY AS STRONGLY THAT BY NOT CLUDG POLICE, THAT YOU’RE DISCRIMATG AGAST LGBT OFFICERS.” FLEMG SAYS THEY UNRSTAND THE REQUIREMENT FOR POLICE TO BE ON DUTY. BUT THEY TAKE ISSUE WH THE CENTER VG POLICE TO PARTICIPATE THE PARA. “SOMETIM WHEN YOU PROMISE, YOU SHOULD PROMISE TO ERR ON THE SI OF UTN, RATHER THAN ERR ON TRYG TO PLAY POLICS,” FLEMG SAID. “NO ONE’S GONNA BE HAPPY ABOUT THE SUATN NO MATTER WHAT. BUT FEELS LIKE THEY’RE MORE ABOUT PLAYG POLICS THAN ABOUT SAFETY RIGHT NOW.” DENVERE HAS REACHED OUT TO DPD FOR MENT ABOUT THE BAT OVER POLICE VOLVEMENT PRI, AND WHETHER DPD HAS ANY MUNY-SPECIFIC TRAG PROGRAMS FOR HOW TO RPOND DURG PRI. WE WILL UPDATE THIS STORY IF THEY RPOND. FLEMG HAS LIVED DENVER SCE 2006. OVER THE YEARS, THEY’VE ONLY MISSED ONE DENVER PRIFT, AND HAVE EVEN PERFORMED ONSTAGE AT PAST EVENTS. BUT THIS YEAR, THEY SAID, THEY WON’T BE ATTENDG DENVER’S PRI EVENTS BEE OF SAFETY NCERNS. “IT’S SORT OF A TCH 22. IT’S LIKE, YOU DON’T FEEL SAFE BEE OF ALL THE WHE SUPREMACY PEOPLE OUT THERE. BUT YOU DON’T FEEL SAFE BEE OF THE PS EHER. THERE’S NO WAY TO FEEL 100% SAFE ANYMORE, SEEMS LIKE, AT THAT BIG OF A PRI,” FLEMG SAID. “THERE IS NO ONE RIGHT OR WRONG ANSWER BEE, UNFORTUNATELY, WE DO NEED THE POLICE FOR SAFETY. BUT AT THE SAME TIME, WE DON’T FEEL SAFE BY THE POLICE.” THEY SAID THE CISN WAS A PARTICULARLY SAD ONE, BEE THIS YEAR, PRIFT IS BUTG A SOBER SPACE, SOMETHG FLEMG HAD WANTED TO SEE AT PRI FOR A LONG TIME. “IT’S SAD THAT I N’T EVEN FEEL SAFE TO GO SUPPORT A SOBER SPACE WHOUT FEELG THE SAFETY ISSU,” THEY SAID. “NOT EVERYTHG ABOUT PRI IS BAD THIS YEAR, BUT I WOULD SAY ’S BAD WHEN YOU N’T SUPPORT THE GOOD THGS WHEN YOU FEEL SRED.” FLEMG FEELS THAT AS DENVER PRIFT HAS GROWN, HAS ALSO E TO FEEL LS SAFE. “AS PRI HAS GROWN THROUGHOUT THE YEARS, ’S FELT NOT AS CLOSE-KN,” FLEMG SAID. “NOT LIKE PEOPLE WATCHG EACH OTHER’S BACKS, BUT MORE LIKE ONE OF THE SUATNS WHERE YOU HAD TO WATCH YOUR OWN.” THEY SAID THAT GO FOR THE BIG THREATS, LIKE ACTS OF VLENCE, BUT ALSO SOME OF THE SMALLER-SLE SAFETY NCERNS PEOPLE MIGHT NEGLECT WHILE WORRYG ABOUT BIGGER THREATS, LIKE WATCHG THEIR DRKS. THIS YEAR, FLEMG HAS STEAD BEEN ATTENDG A NUMBER OF SMALLER PRI EVENTS OTHER COLORADO TOWNS. THEY SPENT LAST WEEKEND AT A PRI EVENT AVON, WHICH FLEMG SAID SAW HUNDREDS OF ATTEN. “I’VE NOTICED THAT A LOT MORE SMALLER PRIS ARE POPPG UP,” FLEMG SAID. “I’M WONRG IF THAT HAS SOMETHG TO DO WH THE FACT THAT NOT AS MANY PEOPLE ARE WANTG TO GO TO THE BIG PRI.” FLEMG SAID A NUMBER OF THEIR IENDS ALSO PLAN TO SKIP DENVER PRIFT THIS YEAR, THOUGH SEEMS AS THOUGH THERE’S A B OF AN AGE SPL- THEIR YOUNGER IENDS THEIR 20S SEEM MORE CLED TO ATTEND THAN THOSE WHO ARE 30 OR OLR. FLEMG ATTRIBUT THAT TO OLR MUNY MEMBERS HAVG LIVED THROUGH MORE STANC OF HARASSMENT AND VLENCE. “MY AGE GROUP REMEMBERS WHAT WAS LIKE. WE’VE SEEN , WE’VE LIVED ,” FLEMG SAID. “I REMEMBER PEOPLE DYG. I’M THE MATTHEW SHEPARD GENERATN.” RON RICKSHAW AND GAY ONYX STEELE RI A PEDIB DOWN COLFAX DURG THE DENVER PRIFT PARA, JUNE 17, 2018. (KEV J. BEATY/DENVERE)
MICHELLE ARCHULETA BLOWS BUBBL ATOP A FLOAT THE DENVER PRIFT PARA, JUNE 17, 2018. (KEV J. BEATY/DENVERE) ULIS MEDRANO DANC WH A FLAG THE DENVER PRIFT PARA, JUNE 17, 2018. (KEV J. BEATY/DENVERE) STUNTS OM THE LOGAN SCHOOL FOR CREATIVE LEARNG HANG OUT OF A B THE DENVER PRIFT PARA, JUNE 17, 2018. (KEV J. BEATY/DENVERE) FULLER SAID THAT AS PART OF THE PROCS TO OBTA PERMS FOR THE EVENT, PRIFT WAS REQUIRED TO WORK WH DPD, WHO’LL BE ON DUTY DURG THE WEEKEND’S EVENTS. “THEY’RE THERE, AND THEY’RE MONORG THE EVENT AND ARE PREPARED TO ACT SE OF AN EMERGENCY, AS IS DENVER FIRE DEPARTMENT,” FULLER SAID. LAST YEAR, POLICE WERE NOT VED TO PARTICIPATE PRIFT’S VIRTUAL PARA. BUT THIS YEAR, POLICE AS SECURY IS EXPECTED, AND EVEN REQUIRED. “THERE’S A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN POLICE PARTICIPATG THE PARA AS EHER MARCHERS OR DRIVG A VEHICLE THE PARA AT ENTRY, VERS THE REQUIREMENT OF A STREET CLOSURE PERM TO MANAGE 100,000 PEOPLE UP AND DOWN THE STREET,” FULLER SAID. “YOU N’T DO THAT UNLS YOU’RE WORKG WH POLICE. SO THERE WILL ALWAYS BE POLICE PRENCE AT PRI FOR THAT REASON.” POLICE CLED TO SHARE WH HOW HEAVY THE POLICE PRENCE WILL BE. SOME MUNY MEMBERS SAID KNOWG THAT POLICE WILL BE THERE IS NTRIBUTG TO THEIR UNEASE GOG TO PRI. “THE POLICE HAVE BEEN KNOWN FOR A LONG TIME TO HARASS THE GAY MUNY,” SAID DENVER RINT AND DRAG PERFORMER CHARL FLEMG, WHO ALSO GO BY THE NAME DIAMOND STARR. “IT MAK ONE OF THOSE SUATNS WHERE THE ON YOU SHOULD TST TO TAKE RE OF , WE N’T TST THEM EHER.” FLEMG SAID THEY’VE BEEN HARASSED BY THE POLICE. AND THEY MENTNED ONE CINT LAST YEAR, WHERE THE NYPD ON DUTY AT NEW YORK CY’S PRI EVENTS PEPPER SPRAYED SEVERAL PRI PARTICIPANTS. “IT’S CINTS LIKE THAT THAT JT DON’T MAKE THE MUNY FEEL SAFE,” FLEMG SAID. PRI SELF IS LTERED WH A HISTORY OF POLICE VLENCE. THE FIRST PRI PARAS TOOK PLACE ON THE ANNIVERSARY OF THE 1969 STONEWALL RTS, WHICH WERE A SERI OF PROTTS FOR LGBTQ+ RIGHTS FOLLOWG A POLICE RAID OF THE STONEWALL INN, A GAY BAR NEW YORK CY. “PRI SHOULD BE A TIME OF CELEBRATN AND REMEMBRANCE, Y,” FLEMG SAID. “IT’S A PARTY. BUT WE STILL NEED TO REMEMBER WHERE ME OM, WHICH IS THE STONEWALL RTS. THAT SOMETIM GETS FOTTEN THE MSAGE.” LAST YEAR, RPONSE TO PROTTS AGAST POLICE HARASSMENT AND VLENCE FOLLOWG THE MURR OF GEE FLOYD, A NUMBER OF PRI CELEBRATNS ACROSS THE UNTRY OPTED TO BAN POLICE OM MARCHG PRI. DENVER’S OWN PRIFT BANNED POLICE OM PARTICIPATG THE VIRTUAL PARA. “THE BLACK LIV MATTER PROTTS REALLY HELD TO ACUNT OVER THAT. SO WE DID NOT VE POLICE TO PARTICIPATE,” FULLER SAID. STILL, FULLER SAID, THERE WERE SOME LGBTQ+ OFFICERS WHO WERE UPSET ABOUT THE CISN. THIS YEAR, AS PRIFT WAS SET TO RETURN TO A LIVE, FULLY -PERSON EVENT, THE CENTER WAS NONTED WH QUTNS ABOUT HOW MUCH TO VOLVE POLICE. “THE QUTN REALLY WAS, PECIALLY THE NTEXT OF THE BLACK LIV MATTER PROTTS AND THE HISTORY OF PRI REALLY STARTG AS A PROTT AGAST POLICE, WAS APPROPRIATE FOR POLICE PARTMENTS TO KD OF GET THE LGBT STAMP OF APPROVAL BY DRIVG A R DOWN THE PARA ROUTE, WHEN THERE WERE REALLY QUTNS ABOUT POLICE VLENCE AGAST MUNY MEMBERS, SPECIFILLY MUNY MEMBERS OF LOR?” FULLER SAID. “AND WE REALLY WRTLED WH THAT QUTN.” FULLER SAID THE CENTER HELD A NUMBER OF NVERSATNS WH BOTH LAW ENFORCEMENT AND MUNY MEMBERS OVER THE LAST YEAR BEFORE LANDG ON A CISN THAT FULLER ACKNOWLEDG WILL NOT PLEASE EVERYONE: POLICE WILL BE PRENT AND ON DUTY, AS REQUIRED BY LAW. THE CENTER WOULD NOT VE POLICE AGENCI OR POLICE PARTMENTS TO PARTICIPATE THE PARA. HOWEVER, THE CENTER VELOPED A NEW NTGENT LLED “PRI ON DUTY COLORADO,” A GROUP OF LGBTQ+ POLICE OFFICERS AND OTHER FIRST RPONRS WHO WILL BE ALLOWED TO MARCH TOGETHER THE PARA, THOUGH NOT UNIFORM. “THAT WAS THE PROMISE WE ME TO. IT HAS NOT NECSARILY SATISFIED EVERYBODY. AND HAS SATISFIED SOME PEOPLE,” FULLER SAID. “I WILL SAY THAT OUR MUNY IS NOT UNED AT ALL ON THIS ISSUE. THERE ARE SOME WHO FEEL VERY, VERY STRONGLY THAT POLICE SHOULD NOT BE PART OF THE PARA OR ANY WAY AT ALL. AND THERE ARE THOSE WHO FEEL EQUALLY AS STRONGLY THAT BY NOT CLUDG POLICE, THAT YOU’RE DISCRIMATG AGAST LGBT OFFICERS.” FLEMG SAYS THEY UNRSTAND THE REQUIREMENT FOR POLICE TO BE ON DUTY. BUT THEY TAKE ISSUE WH THE CENTER VG POLICE TO PARTICIPATE THE PARA. “SOMETIM WHEN YOU PROMISE, YOU SHOULD PROMISE TO ERR ON THE SI OF UTN, RATHER THAN ERR ON TRYG TO PLAY POLICS,” FLEMG SAID. “NO ONE’S GONNA BE HAPPY ABOUT THE SUATN NO MATTER WHAT. BUT FEELS LIKE THEY’RE MORE ABOUT PLAYG POLICS THAN ABOUT SAFETY RIGHT NOW.” DENVERE HAS REACHED OUT TO DPD FOR MENT ABOUT THE BAT OVER POLICE VOLVEMENT PRI, AND WHETHER DPD HAS ANY MUNY-SPECIFIC TRAG PROGRAMS FOR HOW TO RPOND DURG PRI. WE WILL UPDATE THIS STORY IF THEY RPOND. FLEMG HAS LIVED DENVER SCE 2006. OVER THE YEARS, THEY’VE ONLY MISSED ONE DENVER PRIFT, AND HAVE EVEN PERFORMED ONSTAGE AT PAST EVENTS. BUT THIS YEAR, THEY SAID, THEY WON’T BE ATTENDG DENVER’S PRI EVENTS BEE OF SAFETY NCERNS. “IT’S SORT OF A TCH 22. IT’S LIKE, YOU DON’T FEEL SAFE BEE OF ALL THE WHE SUPREMACY PEOPLE OUT THERE. BUT YOU DON’T FEEL SAFE BEE OF THE PS EHER. THERE’S NO WAY TO FEEL 100% SAFE ANYMORE, SEEMS LIKE, AT THAT BIG OF A PRI,” FLEMG SAID. “THERE IS NO ONE RIGHT OR WRONG ANSWER BEE, UNFORTUNATELY, WE DO NEED THE POLICE FOR SAFETY. BUT AT THE SAME TIME, WE DON’T FEEL SAFE BY THE POLICE.” THEY SAID THE CISN WAS A PARTICULARLY SAD ONE, BEE THIS YEAR, PRIFT IS BUTG A SOBER SPACE, SOMETHG FLEMG HAD WANTED TO SEE AT PRI FOR A LONG TIME. “IT’S SAD THAT I N’T EVEN FEEL SAFE TO GO SUPPORT A SOBER SPACE WHOUT FEELG THE SAFETY ISSU,” THEY SAID. “NOT EVERYTHG ABOUT PRI IS BAD THIS YEAR, BUT I WOULD SAY ’S BAD WHEN YOU N’T SUPPORT THE GOOD THGS WHEN YOU FEEL SRED.” FLEMG FEELS THAT AS DENVER PRIFT HAS GROWN, HAS ALSO E TO FEEL LS SAFE. “AS PRI HAS GROWN THROUGHOUT THE YEARS, ’S FELT NOT AS CLOSE-KN,” FLEMG SAID. “NOT LIKE PEOPLE WATCHG EACH OTHER’S BACKS, BUT MORE LIKE ONE OF THE SUATNS WHERE YOU HAD TO WATCH YOUR OWN.” THEY SAID THAT GO FOR THE BIG THREATS, LIKE ACTS OF VLENCE, BUT ALSO SOME OF THE SMALLER-SLE SAFETY NCERNS PEOPLE MIGHT NEGLECT WHILE WORRYG ABOUT BIGGER THREATS, LIKE WATCHG THEIR DRKS. THIS YEAR, FLEMG HAS STEAD BEEN ATTENDG A NUMBER OF SMALLER PRI EVENTS OTHER COLORADO TOWNS. THEY SPENT LAST WEEKEND AT A PRI EVENT AVON, WHICH FLEMG SAID SAW HUNDREDS OF ATTEN. “I’VE NOTICED THAT A LOT MORE SMALLER PRIS ARE POPPG UP,” FLEMG SAID. “I’M WONRG IF THAT HAS SOMETHG TO DO WH THE FACT THAT NOT AS MANY PEOPLE ARE WANTG TO GO TO THE BIG PRI.” FLEMG SAID A NUMBER OF THEIR IENDS ALSO PLAN TO SKIP DENVER PRIFT THIS YEAR, THOUGH SEEMS AS THOUGH THERE’S A B OF AN AGE SPL- THEIR YOUNGER IENDS THEIR 20S SEEM MORE CLED TO ATTEND THAN THOSE WHO ARE 30 OR OLR. FLEMG ATTRIBUT THAT TO OLR MUNY MEMBERS HAVG LIVED THROUGH MORE STANC OF HARASSMENT AND VLENCE. “MY AGE GROUP REMEMBERS WHAT WAS LIKE. WE’VE SEEN , WE’VE LIVED ,” FLEMG SAID. “I REMEMBER PEOPLE DYG. I’M THE MATTHEW SHEPARD GENERATN.” RON RICKSHAW AND GAY ONYX STEELE RI A PEDIB DOWN COLFAX DURG THE DENVER PRIFT PARA, JUNE 17, 2018. (KEV J. BEATY/DENVERE)
Denver Gay Pri sh on at s absolute ft over the urse of two days. The day after the race, Denver Gay Pri nclus wh a para downtown, where there are hundreds of floats and even more dividuals who march the streets, creatg an explosn of lor and love to take over Colorado's pal. Also, don’t fet to check out Volleypalooza right before — the Colorado Gay Volleyball Associatn’s annual Pri grass volleyball tournament.
MICHELLE ARCHULETA BLOWS BUBBL ATOP A FLOAT THE DENVER PRIFT PARA, JUNE 17, 2018. (KEV J. BEATY/DENVERE) ULIS MEDRANO DANC WH A FLAG THE DENVER PRIFT PARA, JUNE 17, 2018. (KEV J. BEATY/DENVERE) STUNTS OM THE LOGAN SCHOOL FOR CREATIVE LEARNG HANG OUT OF A B THE DENVER PRIFT PARA, JUNE 17, 2018. (KEV J. BEATY/DENVERE) FULLER SAID THAT AS PART OF THE PROCS TO OBTA PERMS FOR THE EVENT, PRIFT WAS REQUIRED TO WORK WH DPD, WHO’LL BE ON DUTY DURG THE WEEKEND’S EVENTS. “THEY’RE THERE, AND THEY’RE MONORG THE EVENT AND ARE PREPARED TO ACT SE OF AN EMERGENCY, AS IS DENVER FIRE DEPARTMENT,” FULLER SAID. LAST YEAR, POLICE WERE NOT VED TO PARTICIPATE PRIFT’S VIRTUAL PARA. BUT THIS YEAR, POLICE AS SECURY IS EXPECTED, AND EVEN REQUIRED. “THERE’S A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN POLICE PARTICIPATG THE PARA AS EHER MARCHERS OR DRIVG A VEHICLE THE PARA AT ENTRY, VERS THE REQUIREMENT OF A STREET CLOSURE PERM TO MANAGE 100,000 PEOPLE UP AND DOWN THE STREET,” FULLER SAID. “YOU N’T DO THAT UNLS YOU’RE WORKG WH POLICE. SO THERE WILL ALWAYS BE POLICE PRENCE AT PRI FOR THAT REASON.” POLICE CLED TO SHARE WH HOW HEAVY THE POLICE PRENCE WILL BE. SOME MUNY MEMBERS SAID KNOWG THAT POLICE WILL BE THERE IS NTRIBUTG TO THEIR UNEASE GOG TO PRI. “THE POLICE HAVE BEEN KNOWN FOR A LONG TIME TO HARASS THE GAY MUNY,” SAID DENVER RINT AND DRAG PERFORMER CHARL FLEMG, WHO ALSO GO BY THE NAME DIAMOND STARR. “IT MAK ONE OF THOSE SUATNS WHERE THE ON YOU SHOULD TST TO TAKE RE OF , WE N’T TST THEM EHER.” FLEMG SAID THEY’VE BEEN HARASSED BY THE POLICE. AND THEY MENTNED ONE CINT LAST YEAR, WHERE THE NYPD ON DUTY AT NEW YORK CY’S PRI EVENTS PEPPER SPRAYED SEVERAL PRI PARTICIPANTS. “IT’S CINTS LIKE THAT THAT JT DON’T MAKE THE MUNY FEEL SAFE,” FLEMG SAID. PRI SELF IS LTERED WH A HISTORY OF POLICE VLENCE. THE FIRST PRI PARAS TOOK PLACE ON THE ANNIVERSARY OF THE 1969 STONEWALL RTS, WHICH WERE A SERI OF PROTTS FOR LGBTQ+ RIGHTS FOLLOWG A POLICE RAID OF THE STONEWALL INN, A GAY BAR NEW YORK CY. “PRI SHOULD BE A TIME OF CELEBRATN AND REMEMBRANCE, Y,” FLEMG SAID. “IT’S A PARTY. BUT WE STILL NEED TO REMEMBER WHERE ME OM, WHICH IS THE STONEWALL RTS. THAT SOMETIM GETS FOTTEN THE MSAGE.” LAST YEAR, RPONSE TO PROTTS AGAST POLICE HARASSMENT AND VLENCE FOLLOWG THE MURR OF GEE FLOYD, A NUMBER OF PRI CELEBRATNS ACROSS THE UNTRY OPTED TO BAN POLICE OM MARCHG PRI. DENVER’S OWN PRIFT BANNED POLICE OM PARTICIPATG THE VIRTUAL PARA. “THE BLACK LIV MATTER PROTTS REALLY HELD TO ACUNT OVER THAT. SO WE DID NOT VE POLICE TO PARTICIPATE,” FULLER SAID. STILL, FULLER SAID, THERE WERE SOME LGBTQ+ OFFICERS WHO WERE UPSET ABOUT THE CISN. THIS YEAR, AS PRIFT WAS SET TO RETURN TO A LIVE, FULLY -PERSON EVENT, THE CENTER WAS NONTED WH QUTNS ABOUT HOW MUCH TO VOLVE POLICE. “THE QUTN REALLY WAS, PECIALLY THE NTEXT OF THE BLACK LIV MATTER PROTTS AND THE HISTORY OF PRI REALLY STARTG AS A PROTT AGAST POLICE, WAS APPROPRIATE FOR POLICE PARTMENTS TO KD OF GET THE LGBT STAMP OF APPROVAL BY DRIVG A R DOWN THE PARA ROUTE, WHEN THERE WERE REALLY QUTNS ABOUT POLICE VLENCE AGAST MUNY MEMBERS, SPECIFILLY MUNY MEMBERS OF LOR?” FULLER SAID. “AND WE REALLY WRTLED WH THAT QUTN.” FULLER SAID THE CENTER HELD A NUMBER OF NVERSATNS WH BOTH LAW ENFORCEMENT AND MUNY MEMBERS OVER THE LAST YEAR BEFORE LANDG ON A CISN THAT FULLER ACKNOWLEDG WILL NOT PLEASE EVERYONE: POLICE WILL BE PRENT AND ON DUTY, AS REQUIRED BY LAW. THE CENTER WOULD NOT VE POLICE AGENCI OR POLICE PARTMENTS TO PARTICIPATE THE PARA. HOWEVER, THE CENTER VELOPED A NEW NTGENT LLED “PRI ON DUTY COLORADO,” A GROUP OF LGBTQ+ POLICE OFFICERS AND OTHER FIRST RPONRS WHO WILL BE ALLOWED TO MARCH TOGETHER THE PARA, THOUGH NOT UNIFORM. “THAT WAS THE PROMISE WE ME TO. IT HAS NOT NECSARILY SATISFIED EVERYBODY. AND HAS SATISFIED SOME PEOPLE,” FULLER SAID. “I WILL SAY THAT OUR MUNY IS NOT UNED AT ALL ON THIS ISSUE. THERE ARE SOME WHO FEEL VERY, VERY STRONGLY THAT POLICE SHOULD NOT BE PART OF THE PARA OR ANY WAY AT ALL. AND THERE ARE THOSE WHO FEEL EQUALLY AS STRONGLY THAT BY NOT CLUDG POLICE, THAT YOU’RE DISCRIMATG AGAST LGBT OFFICERS.” FLEMG SAYS THEY UNRSTAND THE REQUIREMENT FOR POLICE TO BE ON DUTY. BUT THEY TAKE ISSUE WH THE CENTER VG POLICE TO PARTICIPATE THE PARA. “SOMETIM WHEN YOU PROMISE, YOU SHOULD PROMISE TO ERR ON THE SI OF UTN, RATHER THAN ERR ON TRYG TO PLAY POLICS,” FLEMG SAID. “NO ONE’S GONNA BE HAPPY ABOUT THE SUATN NO MATTER WHAT. BUT FEELS LIKE THEY’RE MORE ABOUT PLAYG POLICS THAN ABOUT SAFETY RIGHT NOW.” DENVERE HAS REACHED OUT TO DPD FOR MENT ABOUT THE BAT OVER POLICE VOLVEMENT PRI, AND WHETHER DPD HAS ANY MUNY-SPECIFIC TRAG PROGRAMS FOR HOW TO RPOND DURG PRI. WE WILL UPDATE THIS STORY IF THEY RPOND. FLEMG HAS LIVED DENVER SCE 2006. OVER THE YEARS, THEY’VE ONLY MISSED ONE DENVER PRIFT, AND HAVE EVEN PERFORMED ONSTAGE AT PAST EVENTS. BUT THIS YEAR, THEY SAID, THEY WON’T BE ATTENDG DENVER’S PRI EVENTS BEE OF SAFETY NCERNS. “IT’S SORT OF A TCH 22. IT’S LIKE, YOU DON’T FEEL SAFE BEE OF ALL THE WHE SUPREMACY PEOPLE OUT THERE. BUT YOU DON’T FEEL SAFE BEE OF THE PS EHER. THERE’S NO WAY TO FEEL 100% SAFE ANYMORE, SEEMS LIKE, AT THAT BIG OF A PRI,” FLEMG SAID. “THERE IS NO ONE RIGHT OR WRONG ANSWER BEE, UNFORTUNATELY, WE DO NEED THE POLICE FOR SAFETY. BUT AT THE SAME TIME, WE DON’T FEEL SAFE BY THE POLICE.” THEY SAID THE CISN WAS A PARTICULARLY SAD ONE, BEE THIS YEAR, PRIFT IS BUTG A SOBER SPACE, SOMETHG FLEMG HAD WANTED TO SEE AT PRI FOR A LONG TIME. “IT’S SAD THAT I N’T EVEN FEEL SAFE TO GO SUPPORT A SOBER SPACE WHOUT FEELG THE SAFETY ISSU,” THEY SAID. “NOT EVERYTHG ABOUT PRI IS BAD THIS YEAR, BUT I WOULD SAY ’S BAD WHEN YOU N’T SUPPORT THE GOOD THGS WHEN YOU FEEL SRED.” FLEMG FEELS THAT AS DENVER PRIFT HAS GROWN, HAS ALSO E TO FEEL LS SAFE. “AS PRI HAS GROWN THROUGHOUT THE YEARS, ’S FELT NOT AS CLOSE-KN,” FLEMG SAID. “NOT LIKE PEOPLE WATCHG EACH OTHER’S BACKS, BUT MORE LIKE ONE OF THE SUATNS WHERE YOU HAD TO WATCH YOUR OWN.” THEY SAID THAT GO FOR THE BIG THREATS, LIKE ACTS OF VLENCE, BUT ALSO SOME OF THE SMALLER-SLE SAFETY NCERNS PEOPLE MIGHT NEGLECT WHILE WORRYG ABOUT BIGGER THREATS, LIKE WATCHG THEIR DRKS. THIS YEAR, FLEMG HAS STEAD BEEN ATTENDG A NUMBER OF SMALLER PRI EVENTS OTHER COLORADO TOWNS. THEY SPENT LAST WEEKEND AT A PRI EVENT AVON, WHICH FLEMG SAID SAW HUNDREDS OF ATTEN. “I’VE NOTICED THAT A LOT MORE SMALLER PRIS ARE POPPG UP,” FLEMG SAID. “I’M WONRG IF THAT HAS SOMETHG TO DO WH THE FACT THAT NOT AS MANY PEOPLE ARE WANTG TO GO TO THE BIG PRI.” FLEMG SAID A NUMBER OF THEIR IENDS ALSO PLAN TO SKIP DENVER PRIFT THIS YEAR, THOUGH SEEMS AS THOUGH THERE’S A B OF AN AGE SPL- THEIR YOUNGER IENDS THEIR 20S SEEM MORE CLED TO ATTEND THAN THOSE WHO ARE 30 OR OLR. FLEMG ATTRIBUT THAT TO OLR MUNY MEMBERS HAVG LIVED THROUGH MORE STANC OF HARASSMENT AND VLENCE. “MY AGE GROUP REMEMBERS WHAT WAS LIKE. WE’VE SEEN , WE’VE LIVED ,” FLEMG SAID. “I REMEMBER PEOPLE DYG. I’M THE MATTHEW SHEPARD GENERATN.” RON RICKSHAW AND GAY ONYX STEELE RI A PEDIB DOWN COLFAX DURG THE DENVER PRIFT PARA, JUNE 17, 2018. (KEV J. BEATY/DENVERE)
Denver’s celebratn and support for the LGBTQ+ muny spans beyond the month of June wh welg neighborhoods, queer-iendly shops, rtrants and bars such as Pie Queen, Blh and Blu, Ra’s Law, Third Culture and Mozart’s Denver jt to name a few, and events such as the CemaQ Film Ftival and the Colorado Gay Roo. In 1990, Denver beme one of the first municipali the natn to adopt an anti-discrimatn policy, cludg gay and lbians, and 2014, Colorado legalized same-sex marriage, honorg love across all muni. Supreme Court lg that favored of a signer who don’t want to make weddg webs for gay upl and a slew of anti-LGBTQ+ bills across the untry this year, such as legislatn targetg drag performanc and genr-nfirmg health para-goer said was nice to see a posive si to thgs bee Pri is sential to show people ’s worth to live as their tt self.
“I’m a gay man. I’ve been the gay muny for s. Eli Imadali, Special to The Denver PostSister Dottie Beir of the Goln Nugget Sisters, an clive orr of drag nuns, hold a sign favor of safe abortn accs at the Denver PriFt Para on Sunday, June 26, Imadali, Special to The Denver PostMembers of the Colorado Gay Volleyball Associatn bounce and roll flatable balls to para-goers at the Denver PriFt Para on Sunday, June 26, Imadali, Special to The Denver PostThe driver of The Dolor Project float holds pri and transgenr pri flags out of their wdow on Colfax Avenue at the Denver PriFt Para on Sunday, June 26, Imadali, Special to The Denver PostPeople cheer as floats pass by on Colfax Avenue at the Denver PriFt Para on Sunday, June 26, Imadali, Special to The Denver PostThe Colorado Avalanche Celly Squad, a profsnal teractive dm team, dms and danc at the Denver PriFt Para on Sunday, June 26, Imadali, Special to The Denver PostJt Balzarano, left at center, and Tyler Gray walk down Colfax Avenue at the Denver PriFt Para on Sunday, June 26, celebrated at the 2022 Coors Light Denver Pri Para on Sunday, June 26, 2022.