A gay Seattle Police Department sergeant is blasting Seattle’s Capitol Hill Pride, after it banned officers from attending the 2021 parade over concerns about “white supremacy.”
Capitol Hill Pride announced on Friday that they are banning law enforcement participation from the parade, which is scheduled to take place on June 26 and 27.
The organization claims that they are banning police to create “an atmosphere free of fear or harm,” they also asked that police working the event stick to the perimeters, claiming that they have“ongoing concerns of white supremacy views within police departments.”
An 18-year veteran with the Seattle Police Department has responded to the ban in an anonymous open letter published by the Post Millennial.
“My disabled military veteran husband feels the same way. Pride to us was a monthly reminder each year of the great fortune we have and a chance to show thanks to the previous generation of gays, lesbians, trans for their work and sacrifice making the world more accepting to our folks,” he continued.
NYC Pride Bans Police Officers From Participating in Pride Parades Until At Least 2025
The organization claims that they are banning police because they are “unwilling to contribute in any way to creating an atmosphere of fear or harm for members of the community.”
“Effective immediately, NYC Pride will ban corrections and law enforcement exhibitors at NYC Pride events until 2025. At that time their participation will be reviewed by the Community Relations and Diversity, Accessibility, and Inclusion committees, as well as the Executive Board. In the meantime, NYC Pride will transition to providing increased community-based security and first responders, while simultaneously taking steps to reduce NYPD presence at events,” the organization said in a statement.