Queensland Police Will Not March In Brisbane Pride, Commits To Apology In 2023
Image: Queensland Police Force officers marching in Brisbane Pride 2016. Image: Facebook.
For the second year running, Queensland Police Force officers will not march in uniform in Brisbane Pride. In a joint statement, issued with Brisbane Pride, the police have committed to issuing an apology to the LGBTQI community in early 2023.
The joint statement was issued days before Brisbane Pride, which is scheduled to be held on September 24, 2022.
The statement said that the delay in finalising the apology was the reason for asking police not to march in uniform in the Pride parade.
“We have unfortunately not been able to finalise the process in time for the Brisbane Pride Festival March and Rally and while police have been invited to march in 2022, they have been respectfully asked to not do so in uniform,” the statement said, adding, “Both the QPS and Brisbane Pride Inc remain committed to this process which would enable uniformed officers to show their pride by marching in uniform once again in 2023.”
Committed To Finalising The Apology
Police commissioner Katarina Carroll, who is leading the preparations for a formal apology, said she was committed to delivering it in consultation with community members, including serving LGBTQI police officers.
The Queensland Police Force had in 2015 lifted a 25-year-old ban on its officers marching in uniform in the Brisbane Pride Festival. Six years later, in August 2021, Brisbane Pride organisers asked Queensland police not to march in that year’s Parade in uniform.
This followed surfacing of allegations that many current and former Queensland Police officers were part of a private Facebook group, that was littered with homophobic, racist and sexist posts. The allegations had led to an investigation by the Ethical Standards Command of Queensland Police
The Pride organisers had said that while there was some progress in the police’s conduct towards the community, “change has been inconsistent and at times there has been seemingly little or no accountability for the homophobia, transphobia and discrimination against LGBTIQ+ people.”
Concerned About Increasing Homophobia
Brisbane Pride President Bec Johnson had then told Star Observer that it was “concerned” about the increasing homophobia and that the police had not addressed the issue.
The joint statement said that the decision last year “was done as a way to begin a conversation that would ultimately bring all community together to discuss meaningful and sustainable change, and to find ways to actively work together towards that change.”
“Those conversations have continued over the past 12 months. Both organisations agree that a formal apology by the police is one of the steps that is needed for us to move forward for a positive future together, and we are moving close to that milestone,” the statement added.
