A federal court in Jacksonville, Florida will decide today if the City of St. Augustine will be flying gay pride flags this weekend.
For three years in a row, the City Commission has denied the St. Augustine Pride Committee the right to fly the rainbow gay pride flag on the Bridge of Lions during their June celebration.
Monday, they filed a federal suit against the city, its mayor and other administrators.
The city requires that any flag flown on the bridge “relate directly to a not-for-profit event that is in direct correlation to a historical landmark or event in the City and has historical significance associated with the City.”
“Quite frankly, we’ve met their requirements,” said Rev. Ruth Jensen, SAPC co-chair. “We tried to compromise with the mayor, but he wouldn’t budge. He left us no alternative.”
SAPC decided to sue in conjunction with Equality Florida, and is represented by the National Center for Lesbian Rights.
Mayor George Gardner said his position is the same as it has been since the issue came up.
“The application is a social concept wrapped in a historical argument,” he said. “I’m uncomfortable representing on any public facility social causes of one kind or another. We’ll leave it in the hands of a judge now.”
Check out Pensito Review’s earlier coverage of this story.
