Pride in London in 2019
(Picture: Getty Images for Pride in London)Uniformed officers should not march in Pride in London’s parade, its organisers have said.
The move comes after LGBT campaigners called for them to be barred from the parade, in part due to the Met’s bungled handling of the investigation into serial killer Stephen Port.
Veteran human rights activist, Peter Tatchell, told the Guardian that the case, as well as other recent revelations of homophobic, racist and sexist attitudes in the force, meant uniformed officers should not march in the parade.
Mr Tatchell said: “While there are many good officers, and they are welcome to march in civilian clothes, Pride needs to challenge the police as an institution, otherwise they will never reform.”
In a statement given to the newspaper, Pride in London said: “We work hard to strike a balance between the very real and legitimate concerns from members of our community, and being as welcoming as we can.
“We agree that the police uniform undermines that balance, and as such we are aligned that it should not feature in our parade.”
The move does not prevent individual officers from marching out of uniform.
The police watchdog, the IOPC, announced last week it is reinvestigating the Met’s handling of the Port case.
The killer was left free to murder four young gay men, with officers failing to link them, despite three of the victims’ bodies being found within metres of each other.
Inquests into the deaths of Anthony Walgate, 23, Gabriel Kovari, 22, Daniel Whitworth, 21, and Jack Taylor, 25, found that police failings “probably” contributed to the murder of the last three victims.
The Gay Liberation Front, which organised the first ever UK Pride march in 1972, was among the LGBT groups calling for uniformed police to be barred from the parade, as was Lesbians and Gays Support the Migrants, another community group.
In an open letter, both organisations cited the Port case and “deep-rooted concerns” about policing in calling for the ban.
“Due to our deep-rooted concerns with policing - and the history of Pride itself as resistance against police violence - it is time to end the practice of police participation in Pride each year,” states the open letter.
“Their presence not only offends by being undeserving, it deters others from celebrating with their community.”
Despite calls from gay campaigners for uniformed police to stay away after force failures in the serial killer Stephen Port investigation, hundreds of Met officers will be deployed during Pride celebrations this weekend.
Commander Dr Alison Heydari said many will line the route and some of them appearing on a float during the parade.
Police will be on alert after two people died and 21 were wounded in a shooting at a gay bar in Norway’s capital Oslo last month.
Cmdr Dr Heydari said: “The Met and our partners are dedicated to ensuring everyone involved in Pride can do so safely.
“The Met is a place where LGBTQ+ colleagues can thrive. We understand that on the 50th anniversary of Pride people want to march not just in celebration but still striving for equality.”
She added: “We have been working closely with the organisers of Pride, and colleagues across London including our blue light partners to ensure a safe and secure event for everyone. The policing plan has remained under constant review.
“Officers and stewards will be out on the route of the parade and in the area for all the celebrations to ensure everyone has a safe event.
“You’ll see many of our officers lining the parade route for Pride and across the city. They’ll be supporting stewards, managing crowds and road closures and working with Londoners so that everyone can enjoy the celebrations.
“We’ll be there to ensure the security and safety of this event. If you see anything that doesn’t look right or that makes you feel uncomfortable, let us know. We are here to help. Stay safe and report suspicious behaviour.”
Pride will return to London’s streets on Saturday, with hundreds of thousands sent to participate either as spectators or in the parade itself.
