Black Lives Matter Vancouver wants police float out of Pride parade

Black Lives Matter Vancouver is asking police tovoluntarily withdraw its float from the upcoming Pride Parade, as a"show of solidarity and understanding" that officer involvement inthe march creates an unsafe atmosphere for some communities.

The open letter published by the activist group on Friday comesweeks after its Toronto counterparts halted the city's parade untilorganizers signed off on a list of demands including banning police
floats from future marches.

The Vancouver chapter said it stands with Black Lives MatterToronto in its discontent with police marching in the parade.

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While having police on the ground to perform a civil service isunderstandable, allowing officers to participate on a float is"insulting" to protesters who made Pride celebrations possible, itsaid.

"We acknowledge that in certain contexts police presence toperform a job of civil service may deter acts of homophobia andviolence, especially at designated queer events such as Pride," theletter said.

"However, we cannot divorce the policing institution from itshistorical and continued violence against Indigenous and (minority)communities, racial profiling, or inaction around our missingIndigenous women."

Public service float

Instead, the group proposes a public service float, includingpolice officers, firefighters, paramedics and others, to replace thepolice-only float.

The float would no longer represent aninstitution that has perpetuated "structural violence against Blackand brown bodies in North America," it said.

The Vancouver group said it will not take part in the Pride Parade on July 31, by participation or protest, as an act of solidarity with other Black Lives Matter chapters and because Pride no longer represents "community action, resistance and revolution."

Instead, the chapter said it has accepted an invitation from theDyke March to lead that parade as Grand Marshall.

Vancouver Police Sgt. Randy Fincham said the department was awareof the letter and would work with organizers, and all interestgroups, to ensure that their concerns are addressed.

'More inclusive Vancouver'

"We continue to work with all communities to build a moreinclusive Vancouver, and protect the rights of all those who live,work and play in the city," he said in an email.

No one from the Vancouver Pride Society was available for aninterview on Friday evening, but the parade organizer issued astatement on Tuesday that said it was deeply committed to creatingsafer spaces for trans people, indigenous communities and people ofcolour.

The society said it would reach out to Black Lives MatterVancouver after the events of the Toronto Pride Parade.

At thattime, Vancouver Pride Society said it hadn't received any requeststo exclude police and would continue working with officers toeducate and include them in appropriate ways.

"We will continue to encourage and support meaningful dialogue between police and all parts of our community," the society said.

Black Lives Matter Vancouver said in its open letter that thepride society had not directly contacted the group before issuingthe statement, and urged it to turn its words into action.

In Toronto, parade organizers signed the protesters' list ofdemands but later told media they only did so to get the eventmoving again, and that none would be implemented withoutconsultation.