February 11, 2016
Anger at Pride show by cops and wardens
Queer and trans group No Pride in Prisons is condemning a decision to allow police and corrections officers to march in this year’s Auckland Pride parade.
The Auckland Pride Board says the Department of Corrections has promised to improve its treatment of transgender prisoners over the coming year.
But No Pride spokesperson Sophie Morgan says so far Corrections has shown a blatant disregard for the treatment of all incarcerated people, especially queer and trans prisoners.
She says its policy of double bunking where two or more inmates are placed overnight in a single cell has led directly led to the rape of trans women and other prisoners.
Ms Morgan says prisons and police are violent, racist institutions that have no place in any pride parade.
Maori are discriminated against at every stage of the criminal justice system, so they are more likely to be apprehended, charged, convicted and sentenced to incarceration than Pakeha.
No Pride in Prisons disrupted the parade last year to protest the inclusion of police and corrections staff, and this year it plans to hold a counter-rally at the same time as the parade.
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