INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — Indy Juneteenth says its 2025 celebration will look a little different this year after failing to secure a location for its parade.

The group’s leader says other celebrations will be continuing, and that he looks forward to commemorating the end of slavery in a new way this year.

James Webb, co-founder and executive director of Indy Juneteenth, said, “We finally were kind of able to get a hold of a route, and it was just an unrealistic route. And it was just we would be rushing things last-minute. So, we decided to focus on all of the other amazing things we have going on, all of the six events we have going on, and we’re excited about our relationship with the Indiana State Fairgrounds. We’re going to have one of the largest Juneteenth celebrations in the country.”

Those other celebrations include a Miss Juneteenth pageant in the Mass Ave Cultural District, a college and career conference at the central library, and a boxer showcase at the Speedway Event Center.

This story was created from a script aired on WISH-TV.

Five years after Indy Pride stopped hiring police for event security, organizers say they’re still keeping law enforcement at arm’s length while staying compliant with city code.

The plans to retain status quo were announced during a public discussion between the Party for Socialism and Liberation and Indy Pride on April 23. A chair reserved for the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department sat empty.

Indy Pride, the organization that hosts events, including the annual June parade, announced a plan to replace police with private security firms in June 2020. Leadership cited solidarity with protests against police brutality.

Per city code, only law enforcement can manage road closures and direct traffic away from outdoor festivities. Uniformed officers remain just outside the celebrations, causing some attendees to wonder whether Indy Pride’s stance on police at Pride has changed.

“We will continue to stand with Black Lives Matter,” Jose Castillo Jimenez, Indy Pride board president, said April 23. The security personnel that now monitor events are not police officers, according to Castillo Jimenez.

Representatives for Indy Pride explained that they’d be unable to get permits for their largest events, which can attract as many as 60,000 visitors, without some degree of cooperation with police.

The discussion in Indianapolis came amid an ongoing national conversation about the role of law enforcement at LGBTQ+ celebrations.

Pride month is celebrated in June to commemorate the 1969 Stonewall Riots, a days-long series of protests against police raids at a New York City gay bar.

Nearly all of the attendees who spoke at the April 23 meeting said that the presence of law enforcement turns what should feel like a safe space into a hostile environment.

“Whenever I see police officers, I get nervous,” said Riley Seungyoon Park, an Indianapolis writer. “I get extremely nervous, because I know what they do to our community members.”

More: Friends, family, supporters gather for LGBTQ+ Statehouse Day

A feeling of distrust has only increased amid a recent swath of anti-LGBTQ+ legislation in Indiana and throughout the country.

“We don’t have to imagine a reality in which trans people develop a profound anxiety simply existing in public life out of fear for their safety, because we’re already there,” said Elliot Froese, a graduate student.

While it’s possible that volunteers could one day replace some police who surround the event’s perimeters, Indy Pride currently lacks the necessary manpower and insurance to make that possible, board members said. Police would still be needed for road closures under city rules.

“The laws are the laws, and we have to follow them at the end of the day, so we can give you what you want — so you can have joy,” said Aundrea Lacy, an Indy Pride board member.

Derek Ford, one of the town hall’s organizers, said IMPD earlier said they’d send a representative but then reversed course shortly before the event.

“The absence is very present,” Ford said.

An IMPD spokesperson said Indy Pride had contacted one of the department’s LGBTQ+ liaisons to see if anyone was available, but all were busy.

IMPD and Indy Pride

In 2021, Indy Pride landed at the center of a social media controversy after posting a photo of friends posing in an Indy 500 car, holding pride flags. The post was swiftly deleted after commenters decried the IMPD logo on one person’s t-shirt.

“This photo hurt members of our community that are actively fighting against police brutality,” Indy Pride said in a statement after the deletion.

IMPD faced online backlash of its own after wrapping a patrol car with a rainbow flag decal in June 2023. In response, a department spokesperson told IndyStar that IMPD “celebrates Pride Month and the contributions of our LGBTQ+ colleagues within our department, community and our city.”

2025 Indy Pride events

• May 3: Drippin’ in Pearls Pageant, Mr & Mx categories, 5 – 11 p.m., Krannert Room in Butler University’s Clowes Memorial Hall, 4602 Sunset Ave.
• May 4: Drippin’ in Pearls Pageant, Ms. Category, 5 – 11 p.m., Krannert Room in Butler University’s Clowes Memorial Hall, 4602 Sunset Ave.
• May 10: Rainbow 5k run/walk, 7 a.m., Fowling Warehouse, 1125 E. Brookside Ave., Ste. D9
• May 11: 250 Tricycle race, 11 a.m. – 2 p.m., Sun King Brewery, 135 N. College Ave.
• May 16: Asian and Pacific Islander Pride dance party, 7 – 10 p.m., 10 East Arts Hub, 3137 E. 10th St.
• May 31: Pride Pet Parade, 10 a.m. – 1 p.m., Riverside Park, 2420 E. Riverside Drive.
• June 1: Interfaith celebration, 10 a.m. – 1 p.m., Riverside Park, 2420 E. Riverside Drive
• June 1: Cookout and Bat N Rouge, 1 – 5 p.m., Riverside Park, 2420 E. Riverside Drive
• June 6: Queeraoke Night, 6 – 10 p.m., 10 East Arts Hub, 3137 E. 10th St.
• June 9: Deaf Pride, 7 – 10 p.m., Greg’s Our Place, 231 E. 16th St.
• June 12: Girl Pride, 7 – 11 p.m., The Vogue Theatre, 6259 N. College Ave.
• June 14: Pride Parade, 10 a.m. – 12 p.m., begins at 748 Massachusetts Ave.
• June 14 – 15: Celebration on the Circle Pride Festival, 12 p.m. – 5 p.m., Monument Circle
• June 14 – 15: Word of Mouth music series, 2 – 10 p.m., American Legion Mall, 700 N. Pennsylvania St.
• June 21: Betty Who Out of the Darkness Tour, 6 p.m., Hi-Fi Annex, 1065 St. Patrick St.
• June 26: Bi and Beyond: A Pride Celebration, 7 – 10 p.m., 10 East Arts Hub, 3137 E. 10th St.
• June 27: Community Music Night, 6-9 p.m., Shelton Auditorium, 1000 W. 42nd St.
• June 27: LatinX Pride, 7 p.m. – 2 a.m., The Vogue Theatre, 6259 N. College Ave.

Ryan Murphy is the communities reporter for IndyStar. She can be reached at rhmurphy@indystar.com.

The Indianapolis Colts came away from the 2025 NFL Draft with eight picks, one more than their original allotment. They made just one trade, moving down in the fourth round and gaining an extra pick in the sixth.

Every team loves their picks on draft weekend, though no one truly knows whether a team succeeded for three years. But that doesn’t stop the flood of instant grades, and here’s what national experts think of the Colts’ haul.

If you can’t get enough Colts coverage, Nate Atkins and Joel A. Erickson have a mountain of it. And sign up for IndyStar’s Colts newsletter.

Round 1, 14th overall: Tyler Warren, TE, Penn State

Round 2, 45th: J.T. Tuimoloau, edge, Ohio State

Round 3, 80th: Justin Walley, CB, Minnesota

Round 4, 127th: Jalen Travis, T, Iowa State

Round 5, 151st: D.J. Giddens, RB, Kansas State

Round 6, 189th: Riley Leonard, QB, Notre Dame

Round 6, 190th: Tim Smith, DT, Alabama

Round 7, 232nd: Hunter Wohler, S, Wisconsin

Indianapolis Colts draft grades: What Mel Kiper Jr. thinks of the Colts’ picks

Warren: Tyler Warren is everything NFL offenses look for at tight end: a do-it-all player with day-one impact in the run and pass games. The Penn State standout earned an impressive 93.4 PFF receiving grade this past season with incredible efficiency, having averaged 2.78 yards per route run (97th percentile). Anthony Richardson now has a full complement of playmakers to roll with into the 2025 campaign.

Tuimoloau: After losing Dayo Odeyingbo in free agency, the Colts had a void to fill off the edge. Tuimoloau profiles as a high-floor defender with strong leg drive and a fearless approach to playing the run. His 87.3 PFF run-defense grade will fit in well with a Colts defense that produced the third-highest team run-defense grade (75.8) in the NFL last season.

Walley: Walley brings good experience and profiles best as a zone-coverage cornerback. He forced 10 incompletions in 2024 and posted a 71.3 PFF coverage grade. He also allowed just one touchdown and a 57.8 passer rating when targeted.

Travis: Travis is a huge offensive tackle at 6-foot-8 and 339 pounds. He was the starting left tackle for Iowa State last season after transferring from Princeton. He was excellent in pass protection, never allowing three or more pressures, but he earned only a 58.5 run-blocking grade. He will compete for the backup spot behind established veterans Bernhard Raimann and Braden Smith.

Giddens: Giddens was the No. 96-ranked player on the PFF Big Board. He posted a PFF rushing grade of 84.0 or higher in each of the past two seasons and a grade above 80.0 on both zone and gap runs in 2024. He will look to carve out a role behind Jonathan Taylor in the Colts’ backfield.

Leonard: Leonard will need to improve his throw-to-throw consistency to develop into an NFL starter, but he does provide value as a dual threat and earned a 91.6 deep PFF passing grade in 2024.

Smith: Smith will provide depth and versatility for the Colts’ defensive line. His lack of explosion suggests he won’t be a plus pass rusher, as his pass-rush win rate was never above 8.0% in a season.

Wohler: Wohler boasted an elite 90.0 coverage grade over the past two seasons. He is a sound tackler, with three straight seasons of 77.0-plus PFF tackling grades. Wohler also logged 452 career special teams snaps.

Warren and Tuimoloau were two of my favorite picks early in the draft. Their combination of strength and playmaking ability will help the franchise on both sides of the ball. Walley should provide depth in the secondary.

Travis is a powerful blocker who could step up, with both starters (Bernhard Raimann and Braden Smith) entering a contract year. Giddens was the reserve back they needed behind Jonathan Taylor. I projected Leonard as a Day 3 Colts pick because he’s a gamer who looks to improve his consistency as a passer.

I wasn’t as enamored with Tyler Warren as the masses, although I do acknowledge he could become the focal point of the offense in Indy like he was at Penn State.

Tuimoloau raises the floor of the defensive end position, and Travis has All-Pro upside at tackle. He’s enormous, athletic and balanced. Giddens will be a fun complement to Jonathan Taylor because of his lateral cutting skill. Those were my favorite picks from the Colts.

Walley went early for my liking, and I didn’t see an NFL future for Riley Leonard, although the quarterback spot is far from secured on this team. The middle of this class was better than the beginning and the end.

The Colts had to be thrilled in the first round when Warren fell to them at No. 14. Coming out of Penn State, he gives Indianapolis someone who caught 104 passes for 1,233 yards last season, and slots in as an immediate weapon alongside receivers Michael Pittman Jr. and Alec Pierce. In the second round, Tuimoloau is a nice value as well, as some thought he was a first-round talent entering the 2024 campaign. He should get plenty of snaps opposite last year’s first-rounder in Laiatu Latu.

The Colts have to figure out if Anthony Richardson (or even Daniel Jones) is their true franchise quarterback this season. But it’s really hard to do that if the quarterback’s supporting cast isn’t up to snuff.

Step 1 is getting playmakers. Tight end Tyler Warren will move all over this offense and dominate no matter where offensive coordinator Jim Bob Cooter puts him. Penn State used him as a traditional in-line tight end, an H-back, a fullback, out of the slot and lined up out wide. The Colts’ tight end room, led by Kylen Granson, managed 39 catches (last) for 467 yards (second to last) and two TDs (tied for second to last) in 2024. But drafting Warren should change everything there. He had 700 receiving yards after the catch last season.

Suddenly, Richardson has a reliable outlet who can haul in anything and stretch the seams, and Indy didn’t have to move up to get my No. 7 prospect. It was really the best-case scenario for GM Chris Ballard on Thursday.

Step 2 is addressing the protection. Remember, the Colts lost Will Fries and Ryan Kelly in free agency. They were 25th in pass block win rate last season (56.4%), and Richardson was one of the worst QBs in the NFL when pressured (20.2 QBR, 24th in the league). I think they fell a little short here. They waited until Day 3 and reached a bit even at that point in the draft, taking offensive tackle Jalen Travis at No. 127. I would have loved guard Marcus Mbow in that spot.

Two more picks to call out. JT Tuimoloau had 12 sacks last season, and the Colts ranked 31st in the NFL with a 26.2% pressure rate in 2024. He has a lot of upside as a second-rounder. And running back DJ Giddens will be a good backup to Jonathan Taylor. Giddens broke 1,200 rushing yards in each of the past two seasons.