New York City Pride announced a four-year ban for law enforcement officials from its events.
In addition to barring officers from participating until 2025, the group is also working to reduce its reliance on law enforcement for security at its events, according to its Saturday announcement.
“This announcement follows many months of conversation and discussion with key stakeholders in the community,” said NYC Pride Co-Chair Andre Thomas. “We would like to extend our thanks to the Anti-Violence Project which provided invaluable advice and counsel to help us take these important steps.”
“We are also grateful for the contributions of David J. Johns, Executive Director of the National Black Justice Coalition, Anita Dolce Vita, Owner, Creative Director, and Editor-in-Chief of DapperQ, Shijuade Kadree, Principal and Founder, Compass Strategies Consulting, LLC, and Devin Norelle, model, advocate, and writer for their guidance in helping to inform these changes,” Thomas added.
Once the ban ends, the Community Relations and Diversity, Accessibility, and Inclusion committees, as well as the executive board, will review whether the ban should continue or cease, NYC Pride’s announcement said.
“Our annual work to ensure a safe, enjoyable Pride season has been increasingly embraced by its participants,” Detective Sophia Mason, deputy commissioner of public information, told the Washington Examiner. “The idea of officers being excluded is disheartening and runs counter to our shared values of inclusion and tolerance. That said, we’ll still be there to ensure traffic safety and good order during this huge, complex event.”
NYC Pride will be reallocating first responders and security to trained private security, community leaders, and reviewed volunteers instead of relying on law enforcement. The New York Police Department would only provide first response or security “when absolutely necessary as mandated by city officials,” the organization said.
The decision was made to protect the gay and transgender community and other minorities, who are “most often targeted with excessive force and/or without reason,” NYC Pride said, and that as an organization, it is “unwilling to contribute in any way to creating an atmosphere of fear or harm for members of the community.”
Author : Mike Brest
Source : Washington Examiner : NYC Pride bans law enforcement from events until 2025
