Backlash over vendors at Warren’s Pride sparks investigation

WARREN — Amid the numerous complaints of those who heard about provocative adult items being sold at Warren’s first Pride event on June 29 in front of City Hall, residents demanded a police investigation.

According to Warren police, most of the complaints were made by people who were not at the event.

“The police department finished ours (investigation), going through the ordinances and state laws. We determined there was no criminal activity. It was no crime,” Warren Police Commissioner Charles Rushton said.

“We referred it up to the county prosecutor and there (were) no criminal violations,” Rushton added.

According to the commissioner, there could be some licensing issues but that needs to be investigated.

A threat assessment is conducted by the Police Department before any large event, according to Warren Mayor Lori Stone. As a result, three officers were assigned to the event.

“It wasn’t a request from the organizers or the city,” Rushton said. “It was a decision I made as commissioner because of the large crowds.”

Pride events can become politically-charged, targeted events, according to the mayor. Police protection and the Citizen Emergency Response Team were used at the event.

“Police are expensive. Having the CERT volunteers can help,” said Stone.

According to the mayor, the only other city employees who worked at the Pride event were staffers from the Parks and Recreation Department.

“This organization (the Pride planners) had made arrangements with Parks and Recreation. Just like anyone else who had rented the facility, they had access to Parks and Recreation staff that would staff the facility,” Stone said.

The staff makes sure the facility is being used appropriately, that there is access to the restrooms and the facilities are maintained, and that trash is being picked up and disposed of.

The mayor described the event arrangements as, “Nothing special, just (a) run-of-the-mill of a rental.”

 

Vetting vendors
Many asked why the vendors were not better vetted. The organizers took full responsibility.

“Initially, organizers were going to have an 18-and-over section,” according to Monica Papasian, one of the key organizers of the event.

“When we were working with the vendors that we had, we didn’t have any at the time that would have needed to be over there. There was one (vendor) in the works that would have been questionable,” Papasian said. “So the solution was to have nothing out on their table that’s not kid-appropriate. So if somebody came up to their booth, they could pull it out and show them, but there would be nothing out (that would be inappropriate) for kids.”

That vendor put out a sign noting that it was for people 18 and older, and it had nothing out on display that would be inappropriate for children, according to Papasian.

“(This vendor) also did the same thing at other Pride events and was very responsible about it,” Papasian said. “After that point, we had two more vendors added on, which were the two in question. That was still supposed to be the plan. That, obviously, didn’t happen, and that is incredibly disappointing to me, because for all the great things that we did that day and came out of that day itself, it was such a big deal. And all of the time we put into it, it’s a shame that this one error, that was not intentional but still an error, is what will resonate with people about the event.”

Papasian said she takes responsibility for what happened.

“I am wrong. We made a mistake, and I’ll own that,” Papasian said. “But I find it really frustrating that the people that are running this charge really were not even there.”

According to the mayor, she was at the event with her family for more than four hours and did not know the adult item vendors were present. No one came to her — not the staff working the event, nor the police present — to report the vendors.

Stone said it was problematic that no complaints were made until after the event.

“If there is a problem, then address it in the moment when it can be handled,” Stone said.

According to the mayor, those who weren’t there inflamed the situation by speculating and insinuating there were salacious things happening at the Pride event. She also pointed to a disconnect between those wanting the city’s oversight but not wanting the city to be directly involved.

“They missed out on the entertainment, the camaraderie, the resources that were available, just the genuine fun of the event and allowed it to become a distraction from the event,” Stone said.

 

Who pays, and who doesn’t?
Another issue raised about the Pride event was what groups have to pay to use the City Hall grounds, and what groups don’t?

“My understanding (is that) the fees were waived for Pride because the Cultural Commission supported it. The Cultural Commission is tasked with providing experiences of cultural importance to the community,” Stone said. “This was an event of cultural importance. That was one of the reasons it (the fee) was waived.”

Those renting the atrium inside City Hall must do so through the Downtown Development Authority, while those renting the front lawn of City Hall must go through Parks and Recreation. According to Stone, when she was elected mayor, there were contracts but no process or procedure outlining which groups must pay to rent the facilities and which do not.

“As a community member, I saw political favors. I saw inconsistency. I saw things offered and then revoked. Those were my takeaways,” Stone said. “I shared and asked the different departments and the (city) attorney’s office to put together a policy that is consistent.”

Part of the new process is not to charge for cultural events that will provide information to the community. Elected officials providing information to the community in their official capacity are not charged, according to Stone.

“I felt the organizers, for (being) first-time organizers, did an outstanding job to create an all-inclusive, family-orientated day that was available to everyone in the community,” Stone said.

“I wanted the takeaway from Pride to be what I took away, which was, everyone is welcomed in Warren,” the mayor added.