Whether it was a sticker, a book or a flag - Pride was on full display at Church Square Park.
"This country is all about free speech and freedom. You should be able to do what you want to do as long as you stay within the law, I don't think this event should be a controversy," said Hoboken resident Sachin Ranade.
For Ranade, he came to the park for the annual Book Ban Readathon, an event put on by the city to celebrate Pride, the LGBTQ+ community, and banned books. It kicked off with a drag queen story hour."This is a public park, I just feel that we need to be more respectful to the fact that our children need to play. They don't need to learn about sexuality at this young age," Rachel said.
Hoboken Mayor Rhavi Bhalla also spoke out about the controversy - he believes the event is a representation of the city's acceptance towards all residents, and was misrepresented online. "There is false information being spread on social media, including graphic images and graphic content. None of that is being shown over here, but I agree with parents about the right to educate their children in an age-appropriate matter in a way they see fit," Bhalla said."We're here to raise awareness of this national-wide surge in censorship, because we don't stand for that. I invite anyone who wants to come, to come.
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