No Pride in Prisons have alleged that Police officers broke one of the protesters thumbs and two others were choked during the Auckland Pride Parade protest on Saturday night. Photo by Andrea “One protester’s thumb was broken by a police officer,” say the group. “Two others were briefly choked by police officers. For the most part, however, the protesters are mostly just scraped and bruised.” A Police spokesperson says while they can’t comment on individual cases in regards to alleged assaults occurring on the night of the parade, “Police take such allegations very seriously and would advise anyone with such concerns to make a formal complaint.” They say this can be done either directly to a Police Station or to the IPCA and the matter will be followed up as soon as possible. Vinnie Sykes, Co-Chair of the Auckland Pride Festival Board, told GayNZ.com Daily News yesterday that Pride have not been contacted by anyone from No Pride in Prisons to raise concerns that protesters were injured by Police during the parade.
Credit: GayNZ.com Daily News staff
First published: Tuesday, 23rd February 2016 - 12:28pm