Council members, mayor respond to condoms thrown at kids in Jax River City Pride Parade

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Jacksonville city council members and the mayor have responded after a Florida’s Voice investigation revealed two incidents where sexual content was around kids during the Jax River City Pride Festival and Parade over the weekend.

Three of 19 City Council members responded to Florida’s Voice. Mayor Donna Deegan did not respond, however, her office issued a statement to online blog Florida Politics that said she “did not see any of the items that were alleged to have been present.”

“What she did witness is people and families coming together to celebrate the beautiful mosaic that is Jacksonville,” spokesperson Phil Perry said.

A Florida’s Voice investigation revealed that free condoms, lube and sex toys were given out at the advertised “family” Jax River City Pride Festival Saturday where more than 50 children were spotted at the event.

Florida’s Voice witnessed condoms being thrown at children during the Jacksonville River City Pride parade where Democratic Mayor Donna Deegan was the grand marshal Sunday afternoon.

WATCH: Condoms thrown at kids during Jacksonville Pride Parade where mayor Donna Deegan is the Grand Marshal pic.twitter.com/9irDEPylLh

— Florida’s Voice (@FLVoiceNews) October 8, 2023

Council member Kevin Carrico told Florida’s Voice he is “deeply troubled” by the findings.

“For explicit materials to be distributed at an event promoted as ‘family friendly’ is beyond disturbing,” Carrico said.

Carrico said his office is looking into whether any taxpayer dollars were used to support this event and “how to prevent situations like this from happening again in our city.”

Council member Mike Gay told Florida’s Voice he did not have “firsthand knowledge” of the “allegations asserted by Florida’s Voice.”

“I am personally unaware of any sexual materials provided by and/or disbursed by the City of Jacksonville during the Pride Parade,” Gay said.

Florida’s Voice never reported that the city dispersed any sexual materials. Florida’s Voice witnessed condoms being thrown at children from someone on a float in the parade, however, the person was not identified.

Gay said he wanted the person who threw the condoms to be identified and reported to officials.

Council member Michael Boylan said he was unaware if it was an organized effort to distribute the condoms and “wouldn’t expect that kind of activity” by organizers.

He said he didn’t think it was appropriate, but did not want to condemn the event or the organizers because he wasn’t sure if they had a role in the activity.

On Monday, Republican Party of Duval County Chairman and Rep. Dean Black, R-Jacksonville, called on local government officials to push local legislation that would stop future “obscene events” from happening in front of children.

“Local officials ought to rise up and protect our children. It’s necessary and it needs to be done immediately,” Black said.

“We shouldn’t really have to talk about a need for passing laws to get people to behave in a way that they ought to behave in front of children anyway, as a matter of common decency,” Black said. “But it appears that that will be necessary.”

“I will add that it is outrageous that the mayor participated, and in fact led such an event,” Black said.

Black told Florida’s Voice that he is calling on local government officials to spearhead and promote legislation that would stop “obscene events in front of children, such as we had the other day from happening in the future.”

“It needs to be made clear that we are not going to sexualize children,” Black said.