Pride Parade becomes ‘march’ after turmoil

Auckland’s Pride Parade will be reincarnated as a march for 2019, after a ban on police attending in uniform led to sponsors pulling out.

The Pride board’s membership secretary, Zakk d’Larte´ , said the march would take place on February 9 – the day before the Big Gay Out – at a yet-to-beconfirmed venue, most likely in downtown Auckland.

‘‘We’ve had a flood of support not for a protest but for a march,’’ he said.

‘‘What we’re trying to get out there is it’ll still be a celebration, it’ll still be queer and glittery, camp and costumes.’’

The big difference between this year’s event and those of the past would be the lack of corporate sponsorship. The Rainbow New Zealand Charitable Trust and Fletcher Building were among the groups that pulled funding from the parade over the police uniform ban.

Instead, the march would be funded by the $30,500 raised on Givealittle late last year, and ‘‘money we had in the bank’’, d’Larte´ said.

While the Pride Parade had traditionally been held in Ponsonby, d’Larte´ said many Pride members felt alienated from the suburb and had called for this year’s event to be held elsewhere.

The march would also be more participatory, he said.

‘‘This time round people are of course welcome to watch, but they’re also welcome to join in – to wear a crazy costume and bring a banner.’’

Police were welcome to join if wearing mufti, he said.