Melbourne LGBT Activists Call For Midsumma Pride March Boycott In 2025
Image: Midsumma Festival. Image: Midsumma/ Tan McCulloch
LGBTQI activist group No Police At Pride (NPP) has called for a boycott of next year’s Midsumma Pride march. NPP said they were disappointed with Midsumma organisers for “failing to protect the safety of the queer community”.
“We have worked on this issue for several years only to be met with obstacles, weasel words, and violence,” Hiero Badge, NPP Organiser said in a statement. Enough is enough. The choice is between cops and the community. Midsumma has chosen cops, we choose community.”
Read Midsumma’s Response here:
Police And Protesters Clash
Violence erupted at the 2024 Melbourne’s Midsumma Pride march on February 4, when protesters confronted the Victoria Police contingent.
Protestors chanted ‘All cops are b*#*ards’, and ‘Cops kill queers’. Videos uploaded on X (formerly Twitter) showed a group of around 50 protestors being pushed and shoved as they tried to disrupt around 100 Victoria Police officers, some with their families and children, who were marching in the Pride parade. The police arrested one person following the incident.
Midsumma CEO Karen Bryant had blamed the police as well as protesters for escalating the situation.
According to NPP, ahead of the Pride March, they had provided Midsumma with a petition signed by over 1800 signatures (the signatories now stand at 2500) calling for the police not to march in the parade. They pointed to discussions with Midsumma and police, asking police officers to march out of uniform. NPP said their efforts had not met with success.
Calls For Boycott
“Midsumma had a responsibility to ensure the safety of Queer people but instead chose to facilitate police participation against community wishes. This endangered Midsumma staff who were forced between violent police and peaceful protestors, and the protestors themselves. NPP also expresses concern regarding reports of staff using force against protestors,” NPP said in a statement.
NPP also contested claims that protesters had escalated the situation at this year’s Pride march. “Neither Midsumma nor Victoria Police have produced any evidence that protestors escalated the situation. NPP has spoken with multiple people involved and maintains that the escalation originated wholly with Victoria Police, who became increasingly violent toward protestors,” said NPP.
The organisation has called for a boycott of the 2025 Midsumma Pride March and has said they would organise a grassroots, community-led March next year.
“NPP looks forward to working collaboratively and constructively with community members and grassroots organisations to create a safe, inclusive Pride March for everyone, one that represents the genuine spirit of Pride,” said NPP Organiser Frank Gafa.
