The event’s board of directors decided on May 11 that off-duty officers marching to the June 26 parade were not allowed to wear their uniforms, said San Francisco Pride interim executive Susanne Ford. Employees still have the right to participate and show representation to the department through T-shirts, Ford said.
In response to the ban, the San Francisco Police Pride Alliance, which includes police, firefighters and the sheriff’s office, said Monday that LGBTQ officials had decided not to march in the parade “to take a stand against discriminatory actions on board. of the SF Pride Committee ‘.
In previous years, Ford said, the police department was involved, with a “contingent in the parade.”
Preventing uniformed police officers from participating in Pride events is nothing new. Last year, both the New York City Pride and The Denver Pride Center on Colfax announced they would no longer allow police officers to organize exhibitions or participate in parades while in uniform. In 2017, Pride Toronto banned the participation of uniformed police officers and their floats. And in 2020, the Vancouver Pride Society followed suit, saying it should have done so earlier. The involvement of uniformed law enforcement in Pride events may seem threatening or dangerous to the LGBTQ + community, which has been over-targeted for decades, even if their presence aims to foster a sense of community and security, advocacy groups said. . Indeed, Pride marches began in response to a 1969 police raid on the Stonewall Inn, a gay bar in New York City that sparked days of protests.
This year in San Francisco, Breed decided to support members of the LGBTQ community who serve in uniform, she said in a statement.
“If the Pride Board does not overturn its decision, I will join our city’s public safety departments, which are not participating in the Pride Parade,” Breed said in a statement.
The unanimous decision on board the event came after more than a year of discussions with the Pride Alliance of the SFPD following an incident in 2019 between protesters and officials, Ford said.
“The board made the decision, knowing it was the right thing to do,” she said. “We are disappointed with Mayor Breed’s decision, but we look forward to working with her and law enforcement to find a solution that is satisfactory to all.”
After two years without a parade over the Covid-19 pandemic, the 52nd annual San Francisco Pride weekend is set for June 25 and 26, according to its website.
“The San Francisco Police Department supports the decision of our LGBTQ + officers,” the department said in a statement. “While our members may not be marching in this year’s Pride Parade, the San Francisco Police Department will be available to ensure that everyone who attends and participates in SF Pride Weekend activities enjoys a safe and celebratory Pride Weekend in San Francisco.
Correction: An earlier version of this story incorrectly attributed quotes from San Francisco Pride interim CEO Susan Ford.
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