Vinnie Sykes, Co-Chair of the Auckland Pride Festival Board, says Pride have not been contacted by anyone from protest group NPIP to raise concerns that protesters were injured by Police during the parade. No Pride in Prisons disrupted Saturday’s Auckland Pride parade, protesting the inclusion of Police and Corrections in the parade. Sykes says “we never want anyone injured” and told GayNZ.com Daily News that members of the Pride Board had met with Emmy Rākete of No Pride in Prisons prior to the parade on Saturday, to offer the group an official space in the parade to protest. During the meeting, Sykes says Pride told Rākete they preferred for NPIP to protest within Pride and acknowledged that Pride was built on protest, Sykes says this offer was declined and a boycott rally was organised. He says that Pride also told NPIP that the safety of the protesters, the public, the parade participants and those protecting all of these people, was of utmost importance to the Pride Board. The Police are yet to officially debrief the Pride Board following Saturday’s events and this is expected to take place soon. GayNZ.com Daily News has put questions to the Police regarding these allegations and is awaiting a response.
Credit: GayNZ.com Daily News staff
First published: Monday, 22nd February 2016 - 5:05pm