‘Gays’ Deny Reports (Press, 26 September 1985)

On 26 September 1985, reports emerged that opponents of a petition against homosexual law reform in New Zealand denied allegations of having broken an agreement with the Speaker of Parliament, Dr Gerry Wall. The situation escalated when Senior-Sergeant Peter Rodger announced the arrest of 23 individuals associated with the opposition to the petition for breaching the peace during a demonstration outside Parliament. The gathering coincided with the presentation of the petition. Bill Logan, a representative from the Gay Task Force, contested the police's claims, stating that there was a misunderstanding regarding the agreement with Dr Wall. According to Logan, the members of the Gay Task Force complied fully with Dr Wall's directive, which prohibited banners, placards, and visibly protesting members from crossing the designated barriers into the paved areas directly in front of Parliament. He clarified that those arrested were not in line with his organisation's actions, emphasising that the individual using a loud-hailer who was taken into custody was not under his supervision. This incident highlighted the tensions around the contentious issue of homosexual law reform, reflecting both the differing interpretations of the rules of engagement in public protests and the ongoing struggle for LGBTQ+ rights in New Zealand at the time.

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