According to the organizers of the San Francisco Pride Procession, attendees who have had negative interactions with law enforcement in the past may feel concerned when they encounter police officers in uniform during the parade.
As a result of a restriction that prevents law enforcement officers from walking in uniform during the next San Francisco Pride Parade, Mayor London Breed and various local law enforcement groups have decided to pull out of participating in the parade.
“I am pleased to say that the Pride Parade has been of great benefit to both our city and our LGBTQ community, and I am delighted to be a part of it. Every single time, it’s one of the most memorable moments of the calendar year for me. On the other hand, if the Pride Board does not rethink its decision, I will join the other public safety departments in the city that are refusing to participate in the Pride Parade.” Breed mentioned this in a statement.
“We must be clear about who we are talking about: heroic women and men who not only put on their uniforms and risk their lives every day serving our city but who also have the courage of doing so as openly out women and men in uniform,” she said.
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The San Francisco Police Officers’ Pride Alliance said that its members would not participate in the parade, joining the ranks of others who had already declined to march. Their point of view is that if police officers are not permitted to proudly wear their uniforms, this effectively forces them to return to hiding their identities.
