West Midlands Police have affirmed their commitment to “police without fear or favour” at this year’s Birmingham Pride event, despite the withdrawal of emergency services from the annual parade and festival.
Earlier this week, West Midlands Ambulance Service announced it would be pulling out of the Birmingham Pride parade, along with police and fire services, following legal advice. This decision comes amid concerns about the participation of uniformed staff in the event.
However, West Midlands Police have confirmed to BirminghamLive that they will maintain an active policing presence during the celebrations, which are expected to draw approximately 75,000 attendees to the parade and the LGBTQ+ village festival.
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The police have also reiterated their strong support for the LGBTQ+ community. A spokesperson emphasized: “We have staff from many different backgrounds, including the LGBTQ+ community, and we remain fully supportive of them. The Acting Chief Constable has engaged directly with LGBTQ+ representatives and our internal force network to listen to their experiences and views.”
The spokesperson continued, “West Midlands Police is committed to policing without fear or favour and to fostering trust and confidence through building positive relationships with the public.”
West Midlands Ambulance Service explained their withdrawal by referencing a recent Judicial Review involving Northumbria Police and uniformed attendance at Newcastle Pride. The review found that uniformed participation breached the duty of political impartiality, rendering the Chief Constable’s decision unlawful.
The ambulance service stated, “Based on statements from Birmingham Pride, there is a strong likelihood that if our uniformed staff were to attend in a professional capacity, this action could be deemed unlawful.” They also assured ongoing support for staff participating in other events aligned with public sector equality duties and said they would review this decision in future years.
While emergency services have stepped back from official representation at the parade, West Midlands Police’s pledge to maintain a fair and impartial policing operation aims to ensure safety and reinforce support for the LGBTQ+ community throughout the event.