Fla. City Says Gay Pride Rainbow Flags Violate Banner Rule, Lack Written Message

A Florida group trying to hang rainbow flags from street lights poles during an annual gay pride event in St. Petersburg has run into a roadblock.

Because the flags don't contain a written message, such as "St. Pete Pride," they violate the city's street banner policy, officials tell the St. Petersburg Times.

"It can have a rainbow," says Beth Herendeen, the city's marketing director. "That's not the problem."

Organizers of the annual St. Pete Pride event say it would be prohibitively expensive to have banners with a message custom-printed, and have asked the American Civil Liberties Union to intercede with the city on their behalf.

Related earlier coverage:

ABAJournal.com: "Fla. City Official: Business Sign Rules Allow US Flag, But Not 1st Amendment"