Mon 22 Feb 2016 In: International News View at Wayback View at NDHA
NSW State Government is to issue an official apology to participants of the very first Sydney Mardi Gras who were ill-treated by Police at the time. 1978 Sydney Mardi Gras The 1978 Sydney Mardi Gras was an assembly of over 500 people who marched to call for homosexual law reform, an end to discrimination against the LGBTI community and to celebrate love and diversity. The group were met by the Police, who blocked the crowd from entering Kings Cross and threw people into paddy wagons, charging 53 people. Those who were charged were named and shamed in the Sydney Morning Herald and Australian LGBTI news outlet, SameSame reports many lost their jobs. The apology will be offered by the New South Wales Legislatve Assembly this week and it is intended to reflect the state Parliament’s determination to ensure discrimination and mistreatment of the LGBTI community never happens again. It has received input from those at the first Sydney Mardi Gras, known as ‘78ers’ and has the support of many in the wider community.
Credit: GayNZ.com Daily News staff
First published: Monday, 22nd February 2016 - 6:02pm