Niceville Pride event shines despite rain, protesters and confrontation

NICEVILLE — After months of backlash on social media and at a Niceville City Council meeting, it seemed that the only thing that could derail the 2024 Emerald Coast Pride event at the Niceville Community Center could be the heavy rains that were in the area on Saturday morning.

As the rains passed and protesters arrived outside the Niceville Community Center, it seemed that nothing could dampen the spirits of about 200 attendees who came together to show love and support in PFLAG Niceville's sixth annual pride showing.

But a run-in between an ally and a protester threatened to mar the event before it could begin.

'On the side of love'

The day before the event, PFLAG Niceville released a statement on an issue that led to one arrest from an incident on Thursday, May 30.

According to the release, three men were stealing pride flags along the pride walk route on John Sims Parkway. Sunny Barbee, a local activist, saw this happening and confronted the three men. As she pulled over to the side of the road near Niceville High School, Barbee began filming the encounter.

One of the men, later identified as Michael McLeod, was seen with a box containing pride flags collected by the roadside. As the video continued, McLeod was seen pushing Barbee with the box before asking an unnamed person off-screen to contact the police.

Barbee then continues to ask for the return of the flags, to which McLeod responds, "No, I'm not. I'm just cleaning up trash." He can be heard accusing Barbee of "grooming" children as he attempts to walk away.

After calling the Niceville Police Department, McLeod was arrested. PFLAG declined to press theft charges, saying, "We declined, wanting to show the community that we are on the side of love."

The woman involved in the dispute pressed charges against McLeod for battery. McLeod was released after posting a $1,500 bond from the Okaloosa County Jail on June 1.

What was it like inside?

At the Niceville Community Center on Saturday, the first thing that greeted eventgoers was an increased presence from the Niceville Police Department. This created a buffer zone between the event itself and several protesters who could be seen on the green space outside the center, along with a covered awning that led into the event.

While the protesters in attendance were mostly peaceful, some eventgoers expressed unease as they passed by the protesters, who were "condemning" the event as it violated their religious beliefs.

Those wishing to enter the event had the opportunity to be guided past the protesters by event staff. Once inside, eventgoers could meet with other LGBTQ-plus community members and allies, such as the Democratic challenger to Florida Rep. Matt Gaetz, Gay Valimont.

Attendees could partake in lunch and enjoy games and crafting events for the younger guests. Older attendees then paused around various tables for activities, such as a virtual silent auction to raise money for scholarships for LGBTQ-plus community members, a book swap, and a pride closet, where attendees could donate or take gender-affirming clothing.

Reflecting on Pride 2024

While the rain and safety concerns kept some people away, PFLAG representative Misit Schneidewind and Free Mom Hugs for PFLAG member Jennifer Stringfellow said they were encouraged by the honks from cars passing by during the walk.

"It was just as exciting," said Stringfellow. "We got a lot of waves, lots of honks. That's what I keep saying, "there are more people who support you than not."

Schneidewind expressed pride in the "open-mic" segment that began the event earlier that morning. She and many new faces told their stories and what they have been through.

"Just to hear different people's stories of how events like this let them be who they truly are, and it's so great to see families here, people of all ages and all abilities," Schneidewind said. "If people didn't know what we were doing, and they could not see the rainbows, and they saw us walking down the street, they just could have seen a happy group of people walking down the street. That's all we're trying to do is provide people a place where they can authentically be themselves, even if it's just a tiny moment in time."

The event officials had a message for those in the LGBTQ-plus community who could not attend Saturday's event.

"We love you, and we want you to be in our communities," Stringfellow said. "We want you to be who you are, exactly how God made you to be."

Looking ahead

As The Emerald Coast Pride Festival is now in the books for 2024, the conversation then turned to events planned for later this month. While PFLAG representatives were hesitant to announce any future events, they told us that more pride events are scheduled throughout the month of June.

"It's a tricky situation for us because when we advertise, not only do we get people we want, we get the people that are out screaming in the parking lot," Schneidewind said. "We expect that there will be backlash, but it's part of the territory."

To stay current on future events planned by PFLAG Niceville, follow them on social media or head to their website, pflagniceville.com.

This article originally appeared on Northwest Florida Daily News: Niceville Pride 2024: Event thrives despite rain and confrontation