Aurora Pride sues city over costs from revoked, reissued permit for 2022 Pride Parade

AURORA, Ill. (WLS) -- Aurora Pride, which hosts the western suburb's annual Pride Parade, is suing the city of Aurora to challenge an ordinance that led to the parade's permit being revoked just days before the scheduled event.

The lawsuit challenges the city's Special Events Ordinance, according to an announcement from the ACLU, which they said "allowed Aurora police officers who disagreed with Aurora Pride's constitutionally protected message to exercise a 'heckler's veto' over the 2022 Pride Parade."

The parade was granted a permit in early May 2022. In the lead up to the vent, parade organizers asked officers who wanted to march to not wear their police uniforms.

Then, days before the parade, Aurora revoked the permit saying there were not enough officers to staff the event.

The city eventually reissued the permit and the parade happened in June, but Aurora Pride said they had to pay an extra $22,000 to cover police costs, saying the city promised officers "triple time" to work the event.

The city of Aurora said Tuesday night it would not comment on pending litigation.