Phoenix LGBTQ+ Community Suspicious After Sports Tournament Broken Up by Park Ranger, Police

Hundreds of LGBTQ+ athletes from across the Southwest gathered at Encanto Park in Phoenix on Sunday for OutLoud Sports’ Saguaro Cup, an annual kickball tournament. But what began as a joyful community event turned tense when a park ranger—followed by several Phoenix police officers—arrived to break up the games, leaving attendees on edge.

According to Maddison Phillips, a longtime league player, it isn’t unusual for parks staff to attend the tournaments. In the past, she said, their presence had always been positive and supportive.

This time, Phillips said, the ranger—later identified through video footage and witness accounts as Danielle Flowers—ordered attendees to disperse, claiming the league’s permit had expired at 2 p.m. However, Phillips said league managers later confirmed their permit was valid until 4 p.m.

When bystanders didn’t immediately leave—some were grilling or watching games and insisted they weren’t violating any rules—Phillips said she overheard Flowers say, “Do you think I’m stupid? I know what you’re doing … You need to pack up. Don’t make me make you.”

As players began packing up equipment, Phillips saw two Phoenix police SUVs arrive. The first two officers appeared just as confused as the players, she said, until Flowers pulled them aside for a private conversation.

After that, more police SUVs arrived. Officers then joined Flowers in ordering the crowd—by then reduced to about 60 people from a few hundred—to vacate the park.

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“The police didn’t say anything to us directly—they totally dealt with us through [Flowers],” Phillips said. “But I could tell there was no reasoning with everybody. We all had questions, and they had no answers. The police presence was intimidating and made it clear we didn’t have a choice.”

Jeffery Perales, a former league sponsor and current player, said the parks department had previously been supportive and flexible. But he noticed a shift a few weeks earlier, when a ranger briefly interrupted a match to question their permit—an interaction he said was nowhere near as disruptive as Sunday’s.

“They’ve always been accommodating and good to work with; I’m not sure what’s changed,” he said. “I don’t know what their beliefs are regarding the fact that the people in this tournament are queer. But it’s a concern that always pops into our heads automatically—that we’re not wanted.”

In a joint statement, Phoenix Police and Phoenix Parks and Recreation said the incident was purely administrative:

“Staff alerted the organization that their reservation had expired at 2 p.m., and another event was scheduled in the same space at 4 p.m. As the afternoon progressed, the group had not left. Park rangers responded as they worked toward a solution respectful of all reservation commitments.

The park ranger on duty requested assistance from Phoenix Police as part of standard operating procedure," the statement said.

On Facebook, players and residents shared their frustrations and said they contacted Mayor Kate Gallego’s office about the incident. Many questioned if the same response would have happened for a large family event, or one that didn't involve LGBTQ+ people.

It’s unclear whether any response has been issued. OutLoud Sports is encouraging continued outreach and has shared a letter template that individuals can send to city officials.

Kyle Hale, manager of OutLoud Sports, declined to comment for this story but told LOOKOUT that the organization is in contact with city officials to resolve the issue.

“I hope this is an opportunity for everybody to move forward in a positive way, keep the parks department happy and move in a positive direction,” Perales said.

But for Phillips, the disruption raises concerns about the intent behind the enforcement.

“The queer community isn’t naive enough to think we’re safe everywhere we go,” she said. “We knew right away this was going to be an uphill battle.”

This is not the first time local police have disbanded community events held by the queer community. Last month, Tempe Police also disbanded the "Really Free Market" event for the community, which included harm reduction supplies and other resources for LGBTQ+ people.

Phoenix Parks and Recreation did not respond to requests for comment from Flowers.

Correction: An earlier version of this article incorrectly stated that the Saguaro Cup is a statewide competition. It’s actually a regional tournament.