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Calls for Auckland Pride Board to resign over police officer ban

Author
Jordan Bond,
Publish Date
Mon, 19 Nov 2018, 1:38PM
The decision to ban officers from marching in uniform has exposed deep divisions within the LGBT community. (Photo / Supplied)
The decision to ban officers from marching in uniform has exposed deep divisions within the LGBT community. (Photo / Supplied)

Calls for Auckland Pride Board to resign over police officer ban

Author
Jordan Bond,
Publish Date
Mon, 19 Nov 2018, 1:38PM

A scuffle broke out at what's been called a "shambolic" Auckland Pride meeting about the controversial uniformed police ban.

Police officers won't march in the Pride Parade after organisers told them they could only go in plain clothes.

The decision came after several years of protest by parts of the LGBT community against the involvement of police and corrections in the parade.

A hui was held in Auckland last night for the community to discuss the decision.

Attendee Michael Stevens says that the event quickly got argumentative.

He says the arguments escalated, a fracas broke out between two people, and 40 others left.

Stevens says around 200 people were there, and by a show of hands the majority disagreed with the decision.

Stevens says it's shown the sharp division amongst the wider rainbow community.

"People are saying that they won't take part as volunteers, people are saying they won't taker part as sponsor organisations, so at the moment the parade's in the balance, I suppose."

Stevens says finding an outcome that will work for the entire community is a challenging task.

"Because we are not one community, we are a whole range of different groups of people and communities who do not all look at the world in the same way. Never have done and never will."

At the meeting, the Board was presented with a no confidence motion presented to it, over the police uniform ban.

Another attendee, James Alexander Laverty, says the decision needs to be reviewed one way or another or the parade will suffer.

"None of us really want the Pride Parade to stop, but we certainly can't stand by and let it be destroyed by one group. I think we still have time to change where it goes, but you can only do that under a new board."

 

 

 

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