“It’s my view that it’s greatest that the police stand with us 12 months a yr, and that features throughout the Mardi Gras Parade,” Greenwich informed the ABC on Tuesday. “We have to work collectively to make Sydney and NSW a safer place for the LGBT group. It’s important that we do it hand-in-hand.”
Greenwich stated it was vital to recollect the officers who marched within the NSW Police float have been additionally members of the LGBTQ group.
Anthony Albanese turned the primary sitting prime minister to march within the annual Homosexual and Lesbian Mardi Gras parade.Credit score: Flavio Brancaleone
Earlier, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese stated he understood the Mardi Gras board’s choice given the queer group was grieving within the aftermath of the alleged murders.
Chatting with ABC Melbourne, Albanese stated he thought it was “superb” that police have marched within the parade, which they started doing in 1998, 20 years after the primary Mardi Gras.
“It’s come a good distance from the 1978 Mardi Gras the place folks have been arrested for the crime of being who they’re,” he stated. “However I perceive that the queer group in Sydney specifically … are grieving what is a gigantic tragedy.
“My coronary heart goes out to those that are grieving – from the household and mates of those two males who’ve actually suffered, you recognize Jesse [Baird] and Luke [Davies], folks might be doing it powerful for the time being and I perceive that.”
‘This choice was not made frivolously, particularly contemplating that many NSW Police members … are additionally members of the LGBTQIA+ group.’
An announcement from the board of the Sydney Homosexual and Lesbian Mardi Gras
The Sydney Homosexual and Lesbian Mardi Gras board stated in an announcement late on Monday night time that many group members had voiced issues, “notably concerning emotions of unease on the parade”.
These issues “centre on whether or not it could possibly nonetheless be an area to protest, have a good time, and advocate for equality, in addition to to honour and grieve for these we’ve misplaced, given the NSW Police’s participation on this yr’s occasion”, the assertion stated.
The group ought to be given house to grieve the lack of Davies and Baird, the assertion stated. The board stated it had determined the presence of police within the parade may add to misery inside the group.
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“This choice was not made frivolously, particularly contemplating that many NSW Police members who take part within the parade are additionally members of the LGBTQIA+ group and are navigating the impression of this tragedy alongside us,” the board stated.
“This choice permits house for the group to heal this yr and acknowledges the profound grief and pressure that we’re enduring.”
Earlier on Tuesday forward of her assembly with the Mardi Gras board, Webb stated she would settle for the end result.
“I believe this time greater than any in our society it’s time to come back collectively … to exclude a part of the group sends the fallacious message,” Webb informed Channel 9’s At the moment.
On Tuesday afternoon the activist group Pleasure in Protest, which has lengthy advocated to take away police from Mardi Gras celebrations, will maintain a press convention at Taylor Sq..