This story originally appeared on The Advocate.
Organizers of a Pride march in Oregon have canceled the event, citing concerns about violence, distrust of police, and what they described as a lack of support from law enforcement.
Organizers of a Pride march in Oregon canceled amid concerns about violence and a lack of support from police.
Eugene/Springfield Pride organizers announced a rally and march originally scheduled for Saturday will not go forward, though the group’s festival at the Lane Events Center will proceed.
Organizers said they canceled the rally and march partly because of hate groups that appeared at last year’s event, but also because they said police made clear that officers might not protect marchers unless Pride obtained a parade permit.
“After last year’s issues with aggressive hate groups during the rally, we applied for and received a Downtown Program Fund grant from the City of Eugene to support the event with fencing, gated entry and the ability to better control an environment where tensions can quickly escalate. Our intention was to host a street fair with stage programming, including activist speakers and entertainment,” the Eugene Pride Team said in a statement.
“Pride was told on Monday by a liaison with [the Eugene Police Department] that should we not file a parade permit, EPD may not direct resources to support the march, and that if anything happened, it would be on us. They stated that any of our volunteers that were in the street could be viewed by EPD as engaging in disorderly conduct. This, despite the fact that EPD has provided traffic control for at least four unpermitted marches in Eugene this year, including a Charlie Kirk rally and march.”
Tensions between Eugene police and Pride organizers have escalated in recent months. The Pride team pointed to an anti-ICE protest in February during which protesters were arrested. President Donald Trump later criticized police on social media for not acting more forcefully and called the protesters “insurrectionists,” CBS affiliate KOIN reported. Police ultimately declared that protest a “riot.”
Pride organizers said several trans activists had been detained by ICE, and they argued that violence erupted only after federal law enforcement responded aggressively to demonstrations.
“The so-called riot was started by federal agents as they departed the courthouse and attacked peaceful protesters with pepper balls and other chemical irritants,” the Pride team said. “Observers and activists emphasized that transgender women, including our rally and march organizers, were specifically targeted for arrest.”
Pride organizers said police harassment of transgender activists has continued since.
“This history of strained relationships with the Eugene Police Department has eroded trust with many that it serves. Until there is confidence that EPD can work in true partnership with the community to keep all people safe, Pride cannot ask our community to place its safety in a system they do not trust,” Pride organizers said. “As a result of these ongoing challenges, march and rally organizers are not moving forward with a permitted march to the Lane Events Center.”
Police leadership later said the issue was the organizers’ failure to obtain the proper permit for a march. At a press conference, Police Chief Chris Skinner said he believed last year’s event had shown positive collaboration between Pride organizers and police. He read an email from organizers last year expressing satisfaction with the protection police provided.
“It’s really unfortunate at this point, we’re at a place where part of that has been canceled,” he said. “That is not of our choosing. They are free, much like any people are free, to do whatever they want. The one thing we did ask, much like last year’s group, is they submitted for permits last year and they worked with us.”
