Sydney gay Mardi Gras asks police not to march after officer accused of murders
Australian police are in discussions with the organizers of Sydney’s Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras parade about their participation in the event, following the charge of a serving police officer with the murder of two gay men. Human remains were found in the search for the bodies of the men, who had been missing for days. The charged officer, who is also gay and had participated in past parades, has caused unrest within the LGBT community. Parade organizers have requested that police not march in the 2024 parade to avoid adding distress. Discussions include the possibility of police attending in plainclothes. The relationship between Sydney’s police force and the gay and lesbian community has been complex, with formal apologies issued by the force in 2018 for past suppression of gay rights protests. Relations have improved, with LGBT officers marching in uniform in recent years. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese expressed support for police participation in the parade, highlighting the progress since the 1978 Mardi Gras.