The Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) has been involved with the Belfast Pride Festival since 2007 and with uniformed officers appearing in 2017, but a recent decision by PSNI upper management has barred PSNI officers from parading in this year’s Pride parade in Belfast drawing criticism from many.
The Belfast Pride Parade, one of the largest in the UK and Ireland and the second largest cross-community event in Northern Ireland was formed in 1990 and first walked in 1991 with some 100 people, with the development of queer rights in Northern Ireland this has grown to over 70,000 in 2022.
Upper Bann MLA Eoin Tennyson has criticised the move describing it as “a disgraceful and deeply upsetting decision” and that it will “turn back the clock on years of work to improve relationships and build the confidence of LGBTQ+ people in policing”. He has called on the Chief Constable to reconsider.
The move was met with bitter disappointment by the LGBT+ Network Committee, the PSNI’s queer staff group.
They reported that “Participation in pride has been incredibly empowering for LGBT+ officers and staff”.
“Being visible as a public service in Pride parades inspired hundreds of LGBT+ people to take up policing as a career, it let our communities know that we were part of them and that we stood alongside them against gate crime and discrimination”.
“the decision made by the senior executive team prohibits us from either form of participating [referencing the wearing of either T-shirts or full uniforms].
“It has not been made clear to us what has changed for this year or why previously agreed forms of Pride participation have now been withdrawn by the senior executive team”.
“We disagree with this decision”.
This decision would make the Police Service of Northern Ireland one of the first police services in the UK or Ireland to voluntarily remove themselves from a Pride parade event.
Statement from Police Service NI LGBT+ Network.
