Rally at Naples gay bar promotes message of Acceptance - The Galley v. City of Naples

From the archive

The Galley v. City of Naples 

Thomas D. Shanahan, P.C.…

In October 2001 I got a phone call from the owner of the Galley in Naples, Florida. The owner described to me selective enforcement by the City of Naples against the Galley, which was the only LGBTQ owned and operated establishment in Collier County. The owner claimed the City of Naples was trying to put him out of business.

After conducting due diligence, I realize the owner was correct, and in fact, the City was engaged in selective enforcement with discriminatory animus towards LGBTQ people. After the mayor of Naples refused to meet with us, we decided to take action to come down, and I have a rally at the galley to support LGBTQ businesses.

The law at issue was called the live entertainment ordinance.  The problem was live entertainment was not defined and the City only enforced the law as to the Galley.  It was basically a tool to force the Galley out of its location on Fifth Avenue in downtown Naples.

I flew down with Jeffrey Praying, at that time who was the mayor of West Hollywood California at that time, Allen Roskoff, a very well-known activist in New York, and a drag queen from New York. We helped organize a “rally for the Galley” which would violate the live entertainment law.

The rally was attended by hundreds of people who came out to support LGBTQ residents of the city of Naples.  Not surprisingly, the Mayor then agreed to meet with us and ultimately rescinded the law at issue.