Pride shines at Greenfield Farmers Market despite mayor's cancellation
GREENFIELD, Wis. - Pride flags and colorful signs lit up Greenfield's Farmers Market on Sunday, June 25. The show of support came after the mayor canceled an official Pride event from happening at the market.
FOX6 News talked with LGBTQ+ advocates with a shared message.
"What difference does it make? Why can’t we just live and let other people live," said Tasha Lux.
At Greenfield's Farmers Market, people celebrated love and being unapologetically themselves.
Pride shines at Greenfield Farmers Market
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"The young, queer people who are too scared to come out need to see we are here, and we are safe," said David Kaye. "We will support them, always."
Greenfield's Health Department invited people to celebrate Pride at the Farmers Market, but then Greenfield's Mayor Michael Neitzke canceled the event.
Neitzke wrote: "Things like ‘Pride’ and ‘Rainbows’ have taken on deep, divisive political overtones - sometimes that turns to physical altercations- the recent county supervisor incident comes to mind, though I don't know the specifics about that."
Peter Burgelis
"It’s incredibly unfortunate that he did that – that he wasn’t going to reverse course and bring it back on" said Milwaukee County Supervisor Peter Burgelis.
Police said someone attacked Burgelis at Mayfair Mall June 12. The openly gay lawmaker accused his attacker of using a gay slur. His jaw had to be wired shut after the attack, but that didn't silence him at this event.
"What the mayor did by canceling the Pride celebration here is a slap in the face to the LGBTQ+ community," said Burgelis.
Pride shines at Greenfield Farmers Market
FOX6 tried to set up an interview with the Mayor Sunday morning. Instead, he sent a statement: "If the day goes without disruptive incidents and is celebratory and safe, then it's been a success."
"We are not afraid. The mayor made it sound like we are. Like, no. We are not," said Jamie Ivanov.
Pride shines at Greenfield Farmers Market
"There will be people that yell. There will be people that are violent," said Kaye. "They will decrease over the years, and people will understand lesbians, gay, bisexual, trans people, we are here."