VPD takes part in Pride Parade after months of controversy

VANCOUVER (NEWS 1130) – There are questions being raised that one of the biggest events in the Lower Mainland aimed to promote unity and inclusiveness has become divisive.

The controversy surrounds the annual Pride Parade as a week of celebration comes to a close.

It’s been an ongoing battle after the BC chapter of Black Lives Matter repeatedly requested Vancouver Police voluntarily withdraw from the parade, an event the force has taken part in since 2002. After 10 months of negotiations, in May it was announced an agreement was struck between the two sides.

The group didn’t want a police presence over claims minorities and marginalized groups have historically been oppressed by police and members shouldn’t take part as a “show of solidarity and understanding.”

However, Tom Stamatakis, president of the Vancouver Police Union, doesn’t feel this is really an inclusive event, if officers are being treated differently. “I also think it undermines a lot of great work that’s been done over many years, by many people to build stronger relationships between the police, the LGBTQ community and other communities in the City of Vancouver that make up a very diverse, vibrant city. I think we should always try to promote that.”

He adds that regardless of the request, Vancouver Police were always going to be involved in the parade that draws tens of thousands of people to the downtown core.

“Our members will still be there to make sure participants in the parade are safe and the parade can go off without any issues. And that’s the irony of this debate that’s happening more broadly, including across the country. The reality is our police officers are involved in the parade one way or another regardless of what, I would call, a fairly small activist group with a particular agenda has done with respect to the inclusiveness of the parade.”

Stamatakis says the parade almost feels marred by the negativity surrounding police in recent months. “There’s nobody in the policing community that wants to turn anything to do with Pride into a policing issue. This is an established event in our city that many, many people participate in and it’s all about… celebrating each other’s differences and doing it in a very positive way. And that’s what should continue going forward.”

Twenty per cent of officers will walk in uniforms, the others will be in t-shirts and there will be no marked police cruisers. “The fact is our own members are part of that community, so I don’t think any activist group or individuals with an agenda is going to prevent inclusion and participation going forward in one way or another.”

Earlier this year, police in Toronto were left out of that city’s parade, but members were present for security purposes.

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