CLANCY OVERELL | Editor | CONTACT
The NSW Police Force will march in Saturday’s Mardi Gras after much deliberation between the parade’s organisers and a whole range of poltiicians and high-ranking cops.
The decision has immediately repaired a strained relationship between the NSW police and the queer community.
While they had been uninvited, NSW Police were given permission to attend this afternoon, following an agreement between organisers, Commissioner Karen Webb and NSW Police Minister Yasmin Catley.
The Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras, which has became a staple inclusion on the city’s cultural calender, was formed in 1978 by a group of homosexual activisists took to the streets to protest discrimination from both legislators, police and gangs of violent thugs.
Many argue that the eventual inclusion of LGBTI police officers in this parade marks a win for the community, and asserts the inclusion of gay people in the eyes of the greater Australian public.
However, others argue that the police should never really be a part of an event that exists purely because the queer community were forced to mobilise and protest against that cops used to enjoy bashing gays over the head with batons whenever they caught them out after dark, and really never made an effort to investigate any crimes perpetrated against them.
Recent events have once again strained this troubled relationship, and the NSW police force were momentarily uninvited to the event.
However, this has since been reversed – allowing the police to join the many other selfless Queer allies like Deloitte, BHP, Woolworths and Qantas.
Mardi Gras organisers said on Wednesday afternoon. “To address concerns from the community, the gay and lesbian liaison officer participants will march in the 2024 parade out of uniform.”
This means the law enforcement officers taking part in Saturday’s festivities will be required to wear plain clothes, something many of them would have had to do at some point in their career.
As time of press, it is believed the NSW Police Pride Committee were working around the clock to organise supplies of hair gel, mid-tier sportswear items, chunky skate shoes and three quarter jeans.
“We accept the compromise from the event organisers” said a NSW Police spokesperson.
“Now we’ve gotta figure out if the undercover units have enough pukka shell necklaces and G-shock watches for us all in storage”
