SALISBURY, MD - The annual raising of the pride flag at the Wicomico County Courthouse, an event signaling the beginning of Pride Month in June, has been rejected by City officials this year.
According to event organizer Salisbury PFLAG, Salisbury Mayor Randy Taylor denied a request for an event permit to raise the flag in front of the City/County courthouse building downtown. In an email from Taylor to PFLAG, obtained by WBOC, Taylor explains Salisbury is departing from using public assets for community events, including the municipal flag poles.
“We’re obviously participating in whatever event they want to have, just not use the city pole of city assets in general to fly the flag or do any other forms of support for an organization,” Taylor told WBOC Thursday.
“In the same way, we would not place an Israel flag, NRA flags or religious flags for events on other public assets,” Taylor’s email to PFLAG reads. “In that same vain [sic], we must treat the PFLAG in the same way.”
The pride flag has been raised at the courthouse every year since 2019 according to PFLAG, with the exception of 2020 when it was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
PFLAG expressed their disappointment to WBOC Thursday over the decision.
“Well, it’s very unfortunate,” Mark DeLancey with Salisbury PFLAG told WBOC Thursday. “We just want to express on behalf of PFLAG and the staff that we are weighing other options right now where we can go from here. This is another opportunity to make sure our voices are heard.”
In his email explaining the rejected permit request, Taylor says he had a conversation with his County counterparts, and that both administrations agreed on not raising the flag in front of the courthouse.
WBOC reached out to Wicomico County Executive Julie Giordano Thursday.
“We support the autonomy of our municipalities to host any event, however the County government has never flown any special interest group’s flag,” Giordano told WBOC in a statement. “We are a governmental agency that flies the American flag, the Maryland flag, the Wicomico County flag, and at times the POW flag. We plan to continue this practice.”
PFLAG says the decision stems from a lack of understanding on the City’s part.
“I really feel like it’s coming from a position of fear, a position of not understanding his [Taylor’s] constituents and understanding his community,” DeLancey said.
In his email, Mayor Taylor said he would be happy to discuss an alternative to kick off Pride Month in Salisbury if he can be of help.
“I look forward to your event and wish it great success,” Mayor Taylor concludes.
