Residents urge city to block Pride events in public park during heated public comment

Multiple residents used the public comment period at the Claremore City Council meeting to press elected officials to prevent Pride-themed events in public parks and to seek changes to local ordinances.

Speakers said they were concerned about children’s exposure to events they described as sexualized and urged the council to amend the city’s adult-entertainment rules. Amber Ellis referenced the city code in urging changes, saying the council ‘‘has the ability to create ordinances’’ and asked that Claremore’s adult-entertainment ordinance be amended to match other Oklahoma municipalities. Beverly Jennings said she submitted a petition from the Rogers County GOP and said Pride festivals ‘‘target children’’ and cited a city code she identified as ‘‘133.17, harmful deception.’’

Other speakers expressed similar objections. Rochelle (last name not specified) cited local news coverage and said organizers ‘‘have an agenda’’ and urged the council to ‘‘say no’’ to a planned Pride presence in Claremore. Michelle DeBoer and Kelly Caldwell gave religiously framed remarks urging officials to protect children; Caldwell read Bible passages and told the council ‘‘neither do I condemn thee’’ in reference to a scripture passage she cited. Sean Prosser described his experience working with children and victims and said he had moved his family previously to avoid similar situations.

Speakers repeatedly asked the council to deny use of public parks for Pride events or to direct staff to change ordinances to restrict what commenters described as ‘‘adult entertainment’’ in public, family-oriented spaces. No member of the council responded during public comment; the city attorney reviewed public-comment rules at the start of the meeting and reminded speakers that councilors may listen but cannot reply during the open-comment period.

The meeting record shows a mixture of references to specific municipal code sections by commenters; the city did not announce any immediate follow-up action during the public-comment period.

Residents who addressed the council were recorded as invoking religious objections, concerns about children’s safety and exposure, and requests that the council return any fees collected for such events and encourage businesses not to host or support them. The comments were part of the public-comment portion of the council meeting and did not include a council motion or vote.