Coppell resident urges council to ban flags and full-face coverings on city property after park incident

A resident told the City Council he felt intimidated at a city park when he observed a large organized gathering in which participants displayed a Palestinian flag and some attendees wore full face coverings. The resident, Paul Gordon, urged the council to consider an ordinance banning banners and flags on city property and questioned whether face coverings should be allowed in public parks.

Gordon described visiting Andy Brown Park East and seeing “hundreds of people” in organized groups and a flag planted “right in the middle of the green space.” He said the scene made him “afraid, intimidated and scared to be at my own park” and asked the council three things: (1) consider banning banners and flags on city property unless permitted, (2) consider whether full face coverings should be allowed in public so people can be identified in an emergency, and (3) clarify what a citizen should do if a similar situation happens again.

Council staff read the citizens’ appearance procedures at the start of the comment period and noted council members do not comment during citizens’ appearances because of the Texas Open Meetings Act. The council did not deliberate or take action during the meeting on Gordon’s requests; there was no vote recorded on the subject. The resident’s remarks will be part of the public record and, if the council wishes to act, any ordinance or enforcement policy would need to be docketed for a future meeting and comply with applicable state law.