Pride Fest, an event celebrating LGBTQIA+ History Month, was canceled by the UNF LGBT Center yesterday, Oct. 5, just a few hours before it was set to begin after “threatening language” was used on the center’s TikTok account. This event was going to be the first of its kind at UNF, according to the Center’s Instagram page. Spinnaker reached out to UNF who gave the following statement:

“The LGBTQ Center recently established a TikTok account, and posted its first video on Monday promoting the Pride Fest event. Several unidentified individuals commented on the post, using threatening language. Out of an abundance of caution, the TikTok account has been deactivated and the event was canceled.”

UPD is aware of the situation and an investigation is ongoing, but there is no additional information at this time that would indicate a threat to anyone on UNF’s campus.

LGBT Center Director Manny Velasquz-Paredes said that instead of the event, the center welcomed all students who wanted to participate to their center in the Student Union, “because love is stronger than hate.”

Looking forward, he is welcoming “all students to join us for our next event on October 13, Coming OUT Market Day, where we will be louder and shine brighter. We will have performers, fun and food by DanCakes pancake artists.”

Spinnaker will continue to follow this developing story.

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