Day 8 Kicks Off with Uncertainty as Lawmakers Exit for Emergency Session

Operation Mirrorball triggers swift backlash from Trask; Representative Mercer and allies are summoned from PrideFest for urgent talks.

DOMINION — June 30, 2025 | 12:42 PM

Reported by Jax Rowe

Day 8 of PrideFest began not with glitter and music, but with a low hum of apprehension across the festival grounds. The source: President Trask’s early morning response to leaked details of Operation Mirrorball, the drag queen-led counterstrategy to dismantle Project Garrison — his administration’s plan to federally suppress Pride-related events.

According to early insider reports, Trask was “furious” upon receiving word of the organized resistance. His team, blindsided by the speed and precision of the operation’s early rollout, immediately summoned Representative Joshua Lane Mercer (R-Southport) and several attending lawmakers back to Dominion’s capital city for an unplanned emergency session at the Federal Executive Building.

Festivalgoers, many of whom had come to rely on Mercer’s steady voice of opposition, watched as black SUVs and government security vehicles rolled onto the fairgrounds just before 9:00 AM.

Before leaving, Mercer climbed onto the main platform near the Unity Fountain and addressed the crowd directly. Flanked by drag queens, LGBTQ+ veterans, and fellow representatives from both parties, he assured attendees:

“This isn’t a defeat — it’s a sign that our message is being heard loud and clear. We will not let them erase this movement. I give you my word: we will return. And we will not return empty-handed.”

Festival staff immediately shifted into coordination mode, reminding attendees that all scheduled events would continue throughout the day. Drag brunches, queer-led panels on political organizing, wellness circles, and youth art exhibits kicked off by 10:00 AM. Meanwhile, both the community food pantry and the free health clinic continued operating at full capacity, thanks to overnight donations and volunteers.

Still, the tension lingered. Interviews with attendees revealed a wide range of emotions.

“I’m trying to stay calm, but it’s hard,” said Luis Alvarez, a high school teacher from Elkhorn who had driven in with his partner for the week. “We’ve had these moments before — a step forward, then two back. But what’s different this time is how united everyone is. It feels… unbreakable.”

Others expressed concern for the lawmakers themselves.

“If they try to silence Mercer, we need to be ready,” said Kiana Devroe, a logistics volunteer. “He’s stuck his neck out further than any politician I’ve seen in my lifetime. And they hate that.”

Rumors began circulating that Trask was preparing to accelerate Project Garrison’s rollout—possibly with Executive Orders targeting public gatherings, state-funded medical clinics offering gender-affirming care, and federal transportation restrictions for Pride-related events.

Meanwhile, back at the festival, a spark of optimism held strong. Shortly after Mercer’s departure, a group of drag performers gathered spontaneously near the mainstage, launching into a fully improvised, high-energy performance titled “Wigs of Resistance.” The act culminated in a symbolic moment where performers pulled out glitter-filled compact mirrors and held them toward the crowd — a nod to Operation Mirrorball’s reflective power strategy.

“It’s art, it’s activism, it’s everything,” said Vee Valentina, one of the queens behind the initiative. “They don’t realize that when we’re threatened, we don’t shrink — we shine brighter.”

As the morning edged toward noon, organizers confirmed that Mercer’s team would deliver a livestreamed update from the capital at 7:00 PM CDT, in what many believe will be the clearest view yet of the political landscape ahead.

For now, the festivities continue — under tension, yes, but also under a shared belief that something irreversible has begun.

As one attendee scrawled in rainbow chalk near the South Gate,

“The capital may hold the power — but we hold the mirror.”