Policy or punishment? Clematis LGBTQ+, arts community protest West Palm permit decline

WEST PALM BEACH — Arts and LGBTQ+ supporters took their frustrations to the West Palm Beach city commission Monday after the mayor declined to renew a permit used to host weekend art galleries and drag shows on a slice of Clematis Street.

The issue at hand, a permit for street closures, is a decidedly local matter. But some of the LGBTQ+ advocates who spoke out Monday said it's yet another setback at a time when they feel "threatened" by the statewide “culture war” against them, including pressure over attendance at drag shows by minors and legislation critics say will constrain classroom instruction on gender identity and sexuality.

"Right now our community feels very threatened," said Nia Abbate, representing the Lake Worth Beach-based Compass Community Center. "There are targeted attacks of all of our rights. This is not a right, but this is really the time where we need support and knowledge particularly."

Nonetheless, the advocates noted the dispute in West Palm Beach is clearly a local one unrelated to the Florida "anti-woke" campaign led by Gov. Ron DeSantis and Republican state lawmakers.

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Essentially, West Palm Beach Mayor Keith James decided not to renew a longstanding street closure permit for the 500 block of Clematis Street. That street closure, from Friday at 5 p.m. to Sunday at 11 p.m., allowed for a series of larger public events, including art shows and drag performances.

The shows and art exhibit attract about 100 to 200 spectators who viewed performances and bought art by local artists, said Chris Rhoades, an event producer who works with restaurant owner and businessman Rodney Mayo. The permit expires at the end of the month, and the last daytime events to occur in the 500 block are currently scheduled for April 28.

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The city’s reasons for declining the permit's renewal include noise complaints, as well as concerns it created a burden on traffic or neighborhood parking and presented an “unreasonable danger” to government employees or the general public.

On Monday, James said that an extension of the permit was denied to “keep the road open” rather than to target any particular events.

“The closure of the road is not a right, it’s a privilege,” James said.

Rhoades said he believes the mayor’s decision is meant to punish Mayo, a James critic, for planning to run against the mayor in the mayoral election this past March and is unfair to the larger community's interests. Mayo ultimately did not challenge James after a judge ruled that Mayo didn’t meet a residency requirement.

“The 500 block is known for the arts community, and for them to not renew our permit it really just takes a blow — not only just the artists that, like these drag queens, that perform here every week, but as well as the businesses,” Rhoades said.

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Mayo, who spoke at Monday's meeting, said the road closure creates a safe space for artists and without it they will have to find new places to display their work and local businesses will lose revenues. He said the drag shows could move back to one of his restaurants, Hullabaloo, but that the restaurant capacity will not allow for as many people to attend and some performers and business employees may lose their jobs, which they need to pay bills.

“I do not think that they have anything against the drag show ... it's directly towards me,” Mayo said. "This is something that cities should encourage, so it's so backwards and frustrating that we have something successful, we proved it successful, and now they want to kill it."

Road closure events, including drag shows, said to be "unique" to West Palm Beach

Drag shows started at the downtown Hullabaloo restaurant about three years ago and moved into the 500 block on Clematis when the road closure allowed for a broader event with more public attendance.

On Monday evening, about 40 people held signs reading “Keep Arts, Culture & Music Downtown” to protest the mayor’s decision to not close the 500 Clematis block every weekend.

Those who spoke in favor of the road closure during the public comments segment of the city commission meeting cited numerous reasons to keep the road closed for the weekend events.

Edgar Rivas, a drag queen whose stage name is Salma Love, is from Stuart and drives weekly to perform in West Palm Beach. Rivas said these events give life to West Palm Beach for families and all kinds of people to enjoy and come together.

"Blocking this is basically you taking some part of Palm Beach away," Rivas said.

Niall Costigan, who works at O'Shea's Irish Pub on Clematis, said the events on the 500 block are unique to West Palm Beach and make it different from other nearby cities, like Fort Lauderdale or Miami.

"If we take away street closures, we're taking away something that's unique to our city," Costigan said.

City commissioners on Monday night said they would support renewing the permit. However, they said it's the mayor's call. James did not speak after the public comments ended.

Stephany Matat is a politics reporter for The Palm Beach Post, part of the USA TODAY-Florida network. Reach her at smatat@pbpost.com. Support local journalism: Subscribe today.

This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: LGBTQ, arts protest West Palm permit Clematis street closure decline