Transit officers decide against wearing uniforms at Pride
‘Informal decision’ is a way of showing support for police, avoiding confusion at parade
The TTC and Metrolinx have announced that some of their staff members will be marching in plain clothes at Pride 2017, after Toronto police were asked by event organizers not to wear their uniforms in the parade.
TTC special constables and fare inspectors made an “informal decision” not to march in uniform as a way of showing support for police, said Brad Ross, a spokesperson for the transit commission.
“There was no direction from TTC management but the TTC supports their decision,” Ross said. “If Toronto police won’t wear their uniforms, neither will they.”
GO Transit safety officers will leave their uniforms at home in order not to be mistaken for police, said Metrolinx spokesperson Anne Marie Aikins.
“We don’t want the uniform to cause any confusion and detract from a very positive community event,” said Aikins, adding the decision was made “out of an abundance of caution.”
On May 7, Pride Toronto issued a statement barring police from wearing their uniforms, driving police vehicles or carrying weapons during this year’s parade.
“We welcome and encourage their participation to add to Pride this year as members of our community,” read the statement.
“We are simply requesting that their participation not include (those) elements.
The police uniform ban was the result of a lengthy debate, sparked when members of Black Lives Matter T.O. halted the 2016 Pride parade for 30 minutes to decry Pride’s alleged “history of anti-Blackness.”
The protesters had nine demands for Pride, including that police floats be banned from future parades.
Kevin Morton, secretary-treasurer of Amalgamated Transit Union Local 113 said he was not aware of the TTC staffers’ decision.
Pride Toronto communications and community relations manager Ryan Connelly said, “The TTC and Metrolinx have made these decisions for their reasons. We are happy to have them participating in the Parade again this year, and look forward to seeing their wonderful creativity on display with their floats, which never disappoint.”