Boys in blue welcome in city’s rainbow

Wellington’s rainbow community has welcomed the boys and girls in blue.

The announcement that it did not support prejudice or discrimination comes after a furore in Auckland when that city’s Pride parade announced police would no longer be allowed to march in the parade if they wore uniform.

Instead, police were invited to ‘‘wear T-shirts’’.

Organisers of Wellington International Pride Parade posted that their parade – to be held on March 16, 2019 – was about ‘‘celebrating diversity and inclusivity’’.

‘‘We recognise and acknowledge the struggles and suffering in our past, we celebrate the achievements in our present and shout for more equality in our future,’’ the post read.

‘‘We do not support or condone any form of prejudice or discrimination to any individual, group or community.

‘‘Wellington is a diverse, supportive, proud, inclusive community and our parade is an opportunity for us to showcase that to the world.

‘‘We welcome anyone who wants to march, dance, sing through the streets of Wellington that supports our values and follows our guidelines of the Parade and wants to demonstrate our ‘pride’.’’

On Sunday night in Auckland, a physical scuffle broke out at a meeting of the Auckland rainbow community to discuss the ban on uniformed police marching in the city’s 2019 Pride Parade.

Tim Foote, the meeting’s facilitator, also demanded media hand over any notes taken before kicking them out of the meeting at Grey Lynn Community Centre which was attended by about 250 people.

The meeting was described as ‘‘emotional’’ and ‘‘a circus’’ by an attendee.

The Pride board sparked an uproar when it announced a week ago that police would no longer be allowed to march in the parade if they wore uniform.

‘‘Wellington is a diverse, supportive, proud, inclusive community and our parade is an opportunity to showcase that.’’

Wellington International Pride Parade organisers as they invited police and other members of the community to attend next year’s event.