"PSNI to ban police officers from taking part in the annual pride march in Belfast while in uniform" reported RTE yesterday.
Its a very welcome decision by the PSNI: policing needs to be seen to be done without favour to any political grouping.
Commenting on Amnesty International's promotional video Helen Joyce pointed out yesterday the apparent inability of that organisation to see the inconsistency in its stances:
Closer to home:
- where transactivists with megaphones tried to silence women but were held back from getting closer to #LetWomenSpeakBelfast by the excellent @PSNIBelfast.
- where women have to organise in secret or get drowned out by transactivists with megaphones or cancelled as journalist Mary Kenny was by the University of Limerick:
Why give this mob hate speech law to be used to silence critics of gender identity ideology with the inconsistency of a peculiar new definition of gender, which is to apply only to the Criminal Justice (Incitement to Violence or Hatred and Hate Offences) Bill 2022?*
Also Amnesty:
Police officers who wish to attend this year's Pride march in Belfast will not be allowed to do so in uniform reported the BBC yesterday.
"Assistant chief constable Bobby Singleton said he understood the decision would be disappointing for some, but added that the PSNI had 'statutory obligations to act with fairness, integrity and impartiality'."
Well done @PSNIBelfast - we need to see the same here so that all parts of society feel the Gardai will act impartially and fairly.
At #LetWomenSpeakBelfast one man commented on how the PSNI would not have their police cars in Pride colours. What other political lobbies have their markings on Garda cars?
Adhering to the Peelian Principles requires "constantly demonstrating absolutely impartial service to law" and
"To recognise always that the power of the police to fulfill their functions and duties is dependent on public approval of their existence, actions and behaviour, and on their ability to secure and maintain public respect."
Women exercising our right to freedom of expression need to know that the Gardai will protect us from transactivists as the PSNI did in Belfast a few months ago.
It's critical that our police force shows no favouritism to a lobby which includes Transactivism given its threats to women's rights.
- Minister Helen McEntee in the Seanad, 21st June 2023:
