Uniformed police unable to march in LGBTIQ+ Pride event
Uniformed Queensland police officers have been barred by event organisers from taking part in this year’s Brisbane Pride Fair Day march.
QLD News
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Queensland police officers have been barred from marching in uniform at this year’s Brisbane Pride Fair Day, as organisers of the LGBTIQ+ event say the service is yet to acknowledge historic wrongdoings and claim there has been a perceived escalation of homophobia.
The decision, made by the Committee of Brisbane Pride Incorporated, will mean members of the QPS are unable to march in uniform for the first time since then Police Commissioner Ian Stewart allowed uniformed QPS members to join the event in 2015.
Police officers are still able to partake in the event, however are unable to do so in their police uniforms.
According to event organisers, the decision comes after an investigation into some members of the QPS engaging in “sexist, racist and homophobic social media posts.”
“We … remain concerned about what we perceive as escalating levels of homophobia,” the statement from Pride said.
“This year we became aware of an investigation into Queensland Police Officers after sexist, racist and homophobic social media posts.
“While we are grateful for the condemnation by the Police Commissioner of those individuals involved and launching of an investigation, this incident remains of great concern to us and the broader LGBTIQ+ community, not only in Brisbane but throughout Queensland.”
It’s believed the incident Pride is referring to was made public in July, when Police Commissioner Katarina Carroll launched a “thorough investigation,” into who was responsible for a disturbing social media group that condemned some social movements.
Ms Carroll at the time sent an internal email to her staff where she stated the “deeply concerning, nasty defamatory” comments on the private Facebook page “beggars belief”.
Asked last week why she believed the organisers of Pride had chosen to ban the QPS from marching in uniform this year, Ms Carroll said she was not aware.
“The community made a decision this year in particular not to march,” Ms Carroll said.
“I didn’t get the exact reasons but I respect that. Obviously they represent their group of people.”
Pride organisers also justified the ban by citing historical mistreatment of the LGBTIQ+ community.
“In Queensland, there exists a long-term distrust of the Queensland Police Service amongst members of our community because of historical homophobia, abuse, police brutality and unsafe behaviours against LGBTIQ+ people and communities,” the statement read.
“Despite an apology from the Queensland Parliament for historic wrongs, the Queensland Police Service is yet to acknowledge or apologise for these past acts.”
Ms Carroll said she understood there were some issues from the past, but expressed disappointment for her current serving officers who are unable to march in uniform.
“There’s a cohort within the group that has issues with that, and while I can maybe understand that of the past, there are many, many people in our organisation that have nothing to do with the past and can’t understand the issues, so I think it is complex,” Ms Carroll said.
“We are working through it. I’ve given a commitment that we will work through this over the next few months so that we don't find ourselves in the same position next year.
“ … I’m looking forward to working with them because I want to march. I want to march with my people, I want to march with the organisation, I want to march with that community, together, and I’m hoping that this time next year we will be marching.”
This year’s event was meant to take place last weekend, however was cancelled a few days beforehand due to Covid-19 concerns. It is now scheduled to go ahead for October 30.
Organisers from Brisbane Pride did not respond to request for comment, however said in an online statement Pride has supported the inclusion of the Queensland Police Service in the rally and march for many years, and this will continue to remain the case.
“We supported police inclusion because we do believe that engagement is the best way to make meaningful change and we wanted to support serving LGBTIQ+ officers,” the statement said.
“The request on uniforms is intended as an invitation to the Queensland Police Service to acknowledge their harm and to correct course moving forward, in hopes of making an impressive, inspirational change.
“Brisbane Pride remains committed to updating the community on these issues and to reviewing our decision on uniforms in time for the 2022 rally and march.”
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