Calls for Pride boycott over uniform ban

Police at Wellington's Pride Parade - Photo: RNZ/ Reesh Lyon

Calls have been made to boycott next year's Auckland Pride Parade over a ban on police wearing their uniforms while taking part.

The ban is splitting the LGBTI community, with a member of the Auckland Pride Board stepping down from his role in protest.

The annual Pride Festival attracts thousands of people, but this year the Auckland Pride Board has banned police uniforms.

The Auckland Pride Board said the police do not meet the safety needs of rainbow communities after Community Hui series and public feedback sessions.

However, board member, Matty Jackson, didn't support the ban and has stepped down.

Sarah Peele has marched with her father, a former police officer of 40 years, in a past parade.

She will be boycotting next February's parade if the ban stays in place.

Police not being able to show they're part or support the LGBTI community at Pride while wearing uniform is ridiculous, Sarah said.

"It's discrimination against the police even though, yes, there has been things in the past that may warrant it, but those things are in the past.

"And you can't change the past, you can only make it better for the future."

However, Emilie Rākete, Press Spokesperson for People Against Prisons Aotearoa, said the ban has been a long time coming.

"It's a really positive step that the Pride Parade has acknowledged that New Zealand's Police Force has a lot - a lot - of work to do before they should be celebrated in a parade of this kind.

"Some of us would like to use the Pride festival to commemorate the fact that Queer and Trans people have fought and died for the right to be Queer and Trans in this country. And the people that we fought against, overwhelmingly, were the police."

Members of the police are being invited to march in plain or fancy clothes instead.

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3 comments

Agree

Posted on 13-11-2018 11:44 | By overit

with Sarah, Emilie has an axe to grind. You cant change the past but you can the future. I hate all this PC stuff.


people

Posted on 13-11-2018 12:08 | By Carlos spicywiener

No one cares if you are gay or not anymore


Reverse roles

Posted on 13-11-2018 15:13 | By Walbuck

Sounds like the Rainbow community are stereotyping Police


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