Prattville pulls LGBTQ floats from Christmas parade over “safety concerns.”

An LGBTQ group’s plans to participate in Prattville’s Christmas parade on Friday were scrapped by the city on Thursday because of what the mayor called “safety concerns.”

Prattville Pride, which planned to have a drag queen on its parade float and throw candy to spectators, reportedly called for police protection and also requested officers to walk the float after the group said they were being threatened for their participation in the parade event was subjected to increasing threats.

Prattville Mayor Bill Gillespie said the city “will not put the rights of parade participants above the safety of its citizens,” according to the Elmore Autauga News.

“Due to safety concerns for Prattville Pride, other parade participants, and bystanders, the city has decided to exclude Prattville Pride from the Christmas parade,” Gillespie continued in his statement. “This decision was made after careful consideration and consideration, balancing the rights of parade participants against the overall safety of everyone involved in the parade. The City will always respect freedoms and the right to freedom of expression. However, as in this case, it must put the general safety of its citizens first.”

AL.com’s efforts to reach both Gillespie and Prattville Pride were unsuccessful.

Prattville Pride sent the city a letter Thursday morning claiming it had received additional threats following a city council meeting Tuesday in which it outlined its plans for the move, according to Alabama Political Reporter.

According to the reporter, the letter did not specify the threats, only that the warnings referred to “harmful actions to be taken against us and our float during the Prattville Christmas Parade.”

Prattville Pride asked officers to “selectively monitor us and our surroundings during the production and assign two officers to walk near the crowd next to our float,” according to the reporter.

The city’s decision comes after the city attorney advised the City Council on Tuesday not to ban the parade because of the possibility of violating Prattville Pride’s constitutional rights.

While the city council meeting increased threats against Prattville Pride, according to the group, Clean Up Alabama protested the organization’s participation in the parade – the non-profit organization in Prattville that has spearheaded book competitions across Alabama.

Clean Up Alabama has asked libraries to remove 99 “inappropriate books” from children’s sections. The list includes 65 books with LGBTQ themes.

“No interest at all in the ‘happiest and merriest’ Christmas. Pretty despicable,” Clean Up Alabama wrote on social media in response to a Prattville Pride post. “How about we just focus on the true meaning of Christmas, where our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ became incarnate and died for our sins to save those who believe in him?…”

The parade begins at 7 p.m. Friday at the Autauga County Courthouse.

Prattville Pride said it has hired an attorney in response to the city’s decision.

It was unclear whether the attorney has sent a notice to the city or is preparing a lawsuit.