Victoria Police will not participate in an annual pride march in Melbourne after a policy change announced by organisers.
The force confirmed its withdrawal from the Midsumma Festival's Pride March on 2 February, citing a refusal by organisers to let officers march in uniform without tactical equipment as in previous years.
"Organisers would only allow police to take part if they wore plain clothes or a branded polo," Victoria Police said in a statement on Wednesday.
"We believe this would be a backwards step for inclusion, especially for our [LGBTIQ+] employees who simply want to celebrate being their authentic selves."
Uniform police will still have a presence at the event to maintain community safety and public order.
A 'trauma-informed approach'
Midsumma said it welcomed all LGBTIQ+ community members and allies to participate, providing all conditions of entry were met.
"We are disappointed in the decision by Victoria Police not to participate but respect the rights of any group who may choose not to participate," organisers said.
They had earlier announced a trial of march participants not wearing formal workplace uniforms in a "trauma-informed approach" that followed community and stakeholder consultation.
"Midsumma have also made clearer that the conditions of participation exclude any armed security personnel accompanying a group of marchers," organisers said.
"We will seek feedback after this year's trial with regard to the impact on all attendees and participants to inform planning for future years."
The policy shift came after police were confronted by up to 50 protesters during the 2024 march, with the force accusing the group of surrounding its members on three sides, hurling abuse and throwing paint bombs.
Chief commissioner Shane Patton declared he had "contempt" for their behaviour, while Victorian Police Minister Anthony Carbines said they acted like thugs.
One of the activist groups involved in the protest accused officers of throwing protesters to the ground and punching one in the side of the head.
The march is one of the signature events at the Midsumma Festival, which celebrates gender and sexual diversity.
But police participation in pride events is controversial within the LGBTIQ+ community, given their origin out of the protest movement against police oppression of people from the community.
Transgender Victoria (TGV) earlier announced its withdrawal from the Midsumma march "after careful consideration of community feedback concerning police engagement," chief executive Son Vivienne said.
"A recent community forum and survey conducted by TGV have confirmed a deep and pervasive discontent among TGD [transgender, gender-diverse and non-binary] people regarding their interactions with and treatment by Victoria Police.
"We urge Victoria Police to commit to systemic reform pertinent to pride, protest, public safety and TGD human rights, including comprehensive cultural sensitivity education and steps towards nuanced and gender-affirming data collection."
In a subsequent statement on Wednesday, TGV welcomed the decision but said: "Vic Pol's response remains insensitive to the very real concerns shared by our communities."
“Victoria Police continues to work towards building trust with the LGBTIQA+ community,” the Victoria Police spokesperson said.
The reprieve followed a decision to ban uniformed officers from joining the 2024 march over concerns about its relationship with the LGBTIQ+ community.
