NEW YORK (1010 WINS) -- NYC Pride announced Saturday that it was moving to ban corrections and law enforcement from taking part in NYC Pride events until at least 2025 and also working to reduce the NYPD's security presence at its events.
Law enforcement groups won't be allowed to take part in NYC Pride events as the organization also looks to limit the overall security role of police, including at the annual parade.
The announcement comes weeks before Pride Month, when many events are planned by NYC Pride, including a virtual NYC Pride March.
In announcing the move, NYC Pride said, “The sense of safety that law enforcement is meant to provide can instead be threatening, and at times dangerous, to those in our community who are most often targeted with excessive force and/or without reason.”
“NYC Pride is unwilling to contribute in any way to creating an atmosphere of fear or harm for members of the community,” the organization said. “The steps being taken by the organization challenge law enforcement to acknowledge their harm and to correct course moving forward, in hopes of making an impactful change.”
NYC Pride said it would “transition to providing increased community-based security and first responders, while simultaneously taking steps to reduce NYPD presence at events.”
The organization noted that the NYPD is not required to lead first response and security at its events and that security can be reallocated to trained private security, community leaders and volunteers.
NYC Pride said the NYPD will only provide first response and security “when absolutely necessary as mandated by city officials.” The organization is taking steps to “keep police officers at least one city block away from event perimeter areas where possible.”
The Gay Officers Action League said in a statement that it was “disheartened by the decision to ban our group from participating in New York City Pride.”
“Heritage of Pride (NYC Pride) has long been a valued partner of our organization and its abrupt about-face in order to placate some of the activists in our community is shameful,” the organization said.
In a statement, the NYPD said, “Our annual work to ensure a safe, enjoyable Pride season has been increasingly embraced by its participants.”
“The idea of officers being excluded is disheartening and runs counter to our shared values of inclusion and tolerance,” the department said.