Organizers are disappointed in a decision Toronto Police Chief Mark Saunders made Monday, barring uniformed officers from attending an alternative Pride event geared towards first responders.
Saunders announced officers planning to attend the First Reponders Unity Festival on Sunday must do so "on their own time and without their uniform."
The festival was designed to include LGBTQ police officers, firefighters, paramedics, TTC workers, military personnel and correctional services after a rocky year between those groups and Pride Toronto.
First Responders Unity Festival organizer Bryn Hendricks told CP24 he disappointed in the decision.
Pride Toronto voted to remove armed, uniformed officers and police floats from marching in future parades during its annual general meeting in January, following a request made by Black Lives Matter Toronto over the organization’s controversial relationship with police.
Saunders said uniformed officers would not participate in this year's parade as Pride Toronto sorted through the issue of including police among its membership.
Pride Toronto’s new executive director, Olivia Nuamah, said officers are free to take part in the parade as long as they do so without weapons, uniforms or police vehicles.
In May Saunders said he will support any member of his force who wants to participate in the New York Pride march after recieving an invite by the Gay Officers Action League.
Toronto Police Association President Mike McCormack confirmed with CP24 that around 100 officers will be attending the parade south of the border.
McCormack says he is not shocked by Saunders’ decision given the controversy associated with police participation.
“The Chief has the ultimate authority,” he told CP24. “I’m not surprised the Chief said no to officers partaking in a private event in uniform.”
While Hendricks is disappointed, he told CP24 he hopes the conversation is not over yet. “We are not associated with Pride and we are not affiliated with them, nor are we even within the same confines or the same area as Pride Toronto.”
“There may be an opportunity to revisit that given that we have officers that are going out to another country to participate in uniform in a Pride parade there.” he said.
With files from CP24