Queer Action Ireland is organising an ‘Alternative Pride’ event which will run simultaneously to the official Dublin parade on June 29.
The group has issued a statement on social media outlining its opposition to members of An Garda SÃochána participated in this year’s Pride parade.
The post begins with the words ‘Queer Action Ireland regret that we cannot conciously participate in Dublin Pride 2019, even in an oppositional radical bloc, as we have done in previous years,’ before going on to add ‘The participation of Gardai in uniform in this year’s parade is in direct opposition to the liberatory principles of Pride, which was established 50 years ago; initially in response to police brutality that was directed towards the LGBTQ+ community of New York City, and then broadened out internationally.’
The statement later goes on to add that ‘We cannot march in a parade that welcomes RTE as an official media sponsor; a broadcaster who welcomed transphobic hate speech onto the air not months ago’ before inviting people to ‘meet us at the Rosie Hackett Bridge on June 29th from midday at 12pm, for a celebration of what Pride should be: Listening to each other in our struggles and working to draw attention to the issues that continue to affect our community today, in a fight for a better world where we control our own destinies.’
The Dublin LGBTQ Pride parade is due to assemble at O’Connell Street and Parnell Square at 1pm on the same day.
The full Queer Action Ireland statement can be read here.
