No Pride in Prisons are calling for a boycott of Auckland Pride should the Pride board decide to allow either Correction or uniformed Police to be included in the parade. On January 29 GayNZ.com Daily News reported that Pride and Corrections are still in discussion as to whether Corrections will march in the parade, despite Corrections earlier advising that it had been excluded as an organisation. It is understood any final public statement of position regarding Pride and Corrections is likely to be released in the next few days. Auckland Pride has also advised that the Police will definitely be in the parade. No Pride In Prisons has strenuously protested the way Corrections and the Police treat trans prisoners in custody or prison. A boycott event has been created on Facebook with organisers saying; “The Auckland Pride board has, so far, failed to take a firm stance on the inclusion of uniformed Police and Corrections officers in the 2016 parade.” The anti-pride rally has been announced to take place on the K’ Rd overbridge on February 20 at 5.30pm, to coincide with the Auckland Pride Parade. “This event is a clear message to the Pride Board that Police and Corrections are not welcome in any pride parade,” say No Pride in Prisons. “In the event that the Board chooses to allow either of these institutions to march, No Pride in Prisons will hold a counter-rally in condemnation of the event. “If the Board makes such a decision, we also encourage other organisations to boycott Pride and join us in solidarity at the counter-rally.”
Credit: GayNZ.com Daily News staff
First published: Wednesday, 3rd February 2016 - 11:03pm