Mayor London Breed Bows Out of Pride Parade Defending LGBTQ Cops
San Francisco Mayor London Breed will not participate in this year's Pride Parade over the controversial ban on law enforcement uniforms, citing solidarity with LGBTQ police officers who can't march in uniform."I've made this very hard decision in order to support those members of the LGBTQ community who serve in uniform, in our Police Department and Sheriff's Department, who have been told they cannot march in uniform and in support of the members of the Fire Department who are refusing to march out of solidarity with their public safety partners," Breed said in a Monday statement."I love the Pride Parade, and what it means for our LGBTQ community and for our city.
It's one of my favorite events of the year," she said. "However, if the Pride Board does not reverse its decision, I will join our city public safety departments that are not participating in the Pride Parade."Breed joins a number of other city agencies and officials who will not partake in the parade due to the ban.Earlier in the day, the San Francisco Police Officers Pride Alliance, LGBTQ sheriff deputies and the San Francisco Fire Department released a joint statement saying they would not march in this year's parade unless officers were allowed to wear their uniforms."The San Francisco Pride Committee has asked the LGBTQ+ peace officers to go back in the closet," the joint statement said."While we may not be able to march with our communities, we will still be here, working to keep you safe because that is what we have sworn to do," it continued. "By bringing this to the public's attention, we are hopeful that the SF Pride committee will reverse its decision and allow the LGBTQ+ and ally members of the San Francisco public safety agencies to proudly march.
