Reputed ‘orgy’ at Crowne worries resident

An upcoming event of the Fifty Shades of Grey caliber isn’t flying with one local resident.

A citizen who preferred to be identified only as “just a regular mom,” emailed media outlets and Warwick school administrators on Monday expressing shock and concern over a “public orgy” happening at the Crowne Plaza this weekend. The event, the Fetish Fair Flea Market, is hosted by the New England Leather Alliance (NELA) and is the “largest and lowest-cost event for the BDSM [Bondage, Discipline, Dominance and Submission or Sadomasochism] Community in New England” for participants and vendors from around the U.S. and Canada.

The flea market has been hosted at the Crowne Plaza before, but this year a “Play Party” aspect in which the Plaza ballroom will be transformed into a “fully equipped dungeon” has been added. Participants can pay $20 to attend one of two parties, or $40 for the “Double Header.”

The Play Party page on NELA’s website tells participants, “We strongly encourage all attendees to practice safer sex and will have supplies available in the play spaces, “anything that penetrates someone else’s orifices must be barriered – this includes toys, strap-ons, fingers, fists, etc,” and that “condoms, gloves or other appropriate barriers are required.” Safety and consent is largely emphasized, and failure to comply with these and other set rules will result in ejection from the event. The site also notes participants must obey all federal, state and local laws and ordinances.

Though she considers herself to be accepting of differing beliefs and values, the concerned citizen doesn’t feel the “play party” aspect of the event is necessarily appropriate to hold in Warwick.

“I love Warwick. I don’t have anything against people who participate in orgies. I just do not want it here,” she said. “I do not want our city turning into the Las Vegas of the Northeast.”

The event was approved and vetted by the Board of Public Safety and city solicitor’s office before being granted a license, according to Warwick Police Colonel Stephen McCartney.

In addition, Mayor Scott Avedisian’s office said it received information from the hotel and the board of public safety and added that in past cases in other communities, the ACLU has stepped in and argued that communities cannot bar these types of events as it is an infraction of civil rights. The event is not open to the general public, no other visitors will be going in or out of the hotel at that time, and admission to the event had to be paid for ahead of time. Private security will be on the premises, and the hotel is “taking precautions to ensure that it’s a well-monitored event.”

In terms of whether the event is a “public orgy,” Deputy Chief Michael Babula said, “That’s not the case.” It’s a matter of obtaining a license and falls under freedom of speech, he said, adding that the license for the event was obtained months ago.

“The group rents the entire hotel and it’s entirely private,” he said. “It’s within their constitutional right and not a criminal matter.”

Warwick Police officers will be present at the event for security purposes.

The Crowne Plaza, NELA and a representative from the Board of Public Safety did not respond to request for comment.