Key Points
- NSW Police will not march at the Mardi Gras parade on Saturday.
- It comes after the Mardi Gras board withdrew their invitation.
- Calls to ban NSW Police from marching were sparked after a serving office was accused of murder.
Mardi Gras organisers have asked NSW Police not to march at this year's parade — a move they say will allow space for the grieving LGBTIQ+ community to heal after a serving officer was charged with murder.
NSW Police is "disappointed" by the decision, which came after the Mardi Gras board met on Monday to discuss growing calls for members of the force to be banned from participating in Saturday's march.
Those calls came after Senior Constable Beau Lamarre-Condon was last week , former Network Ten presenter Jesse Baird, and Baird's new partner, Luke Davies.
Beau Lamarre-Condon pictured taking part in the Mardi Gras parade in 2020. Source: AAP / James Gourley
"In recent days many have voiced their concerns to us, particularly regarding feelings of unease at the parade," the spokesperson said.
"Their concerns centre on whether it can still be a space to protest, celebrate, and advocate for equality, as well as to honour and grieve for those we've lost, given the NSW Police's participation in this year’s event.
"Our community needs space to grieve the loss of Jesse and Luke who, before this tragedy, would have been here celebrating with us at the festival."
The spokesperson said the decision to uninvite NSW Police was "not made lightly", and the board believed it was necessary to avoid exacerbating "the current feelings of sorrow and distress" felt by the LGBTQIA+ community.
"This decision allows space for the community to heal this year and acknowledges the profound grief and strain that we are enduring," the spokesperson said. "This is an opportunity to pause and reflect."
NSW Police confirmed it was made aware of the decision on Monday.
"The NSW Police Force has been advised that the Board of the Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras has decided to withdraw the invitation to NSW Police to participate in this year’s event," a NSW Police spokesperson said in a statement.
The spokesperson said NSW Police was "disappointed" by the decision but would "continue to work closely with the LGBTIQA+ community".
The Pride in Protest group was among those calling for NSW Police to be banned.
"Every year they march in uniform — weapons and all — waving rainbow flags, alongside many members of the communities they so regularly violate. Lamarre himself has marched in the Mardi Gras parade, weapons on show," the group said in a petition.
"Mardi Gras began as a protest against police violence towards our community. The violence has not ended, and so our protest can't, either."
Servicing officer Beau Lamarre-Condon is accused of killing Luke Davies (left) and his boyfriend Jesse Baird (right). Source: Instagram
"To shut the door on them would set us backwards," she said at a press conference on Monday.
On Sunday, Webb apologised for police failures , which found gay hate bias was a likely factor in 25 of 32 suspected homicides from 1970 to 2010.
She said the police force had been building bridges with the LGBTIQ+ community and had been participating in the parade for two decades.
"I would hate to see that this is the year that we are excluded because of the actions of one person that is not gay-hate related, this is a crime of passion, we will allege," Webb said on Monday.
"It is domestic related, we allege, and that would be a real travesty for this organisation to be excluded."
NSW Premier Chris Minns said police should be allowed to march, also saying it would impact members of the police force's LGBTIQ+ community.
"Yanking their invitation I think would be a regressive step and probably not indicative of the fact that they’ve gone through a lot to be a police officer," Minns told 2GB Radio Sydney on Monday.
Independent state MP Alex Greenwich said members of the LGBTIQ+ community were heartbroken by the case of Luke and Jesse.
He said the police needed to do a "great deal of work" to rebuild trust within the community, saying many did not feel comfortable reporting crimes.
But he also agreed that NSW Police should be allowed to participate.
The bodies of Baird, 26, and Davies, 29, have yet to be retrieved but police divers were helping search a property in the NSW Southern Tablelands on Monday.
If you or someone you know is impacted by family and domestic violence, call 1800RESPECT on 1800 737 732, text 0458 737 732, or visit . In an emergency, call 000.
LGBTIQ+ Australians seeking support with mental health can contact QLife on 1800 184 527 or visit . also has a list of support services.
