Toronto police invited to march in uniform in NYC pride parade

Toronto police have been offered the opportunity to march in uniform in the New York City Pride Parade, a welcoming olive branch after Toronto Pride organizers made the decision to exclude uniformed officers from participating in their parade.

The Gay Officers Action League (GOAL) of New York extended the invitation, requesting Toronto police join uniformed members of the NYPD marching band and colour guard in the June 25 event.

Toronto Police Association President Mike McCormack told Global News that any officer who chooses to go to New York to participate has the full support of the force behind them.

READ MORE: Toronto police LGBTQ officers asking city to nix $260,000 Pride parade grant

“We were delighted that they took a very mature approach to having an inclusive event and at the recognition that police officers in uniform are part of the LGBTQ community and the work that officers within the service and also people within the community have been doing over the years to improve and break down barriers between the community and policing in the LGBTQ community ,” McCormack said.

“We’re delighted that they extended this offer.”

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The controversy over police participation in the Toronto event began at last year’s parade, when the group Black Lives Matter halted the parade and refused to budge until a list of demands was signed – one of them being the exclusion of uniformed officers from the parade.

The parade director at the time, Mathieu Chantelois, signed the list to get the parade moving, but later recanted and said the organization was not bound by the demands.

WATCH: Toronto Pride parade organizers say police welcome to participate with restrictions

McCormack said he spoke with GOAL’s executive director William Shepard about policing and the LGBTQ community and the work that people have put in over the years to better the relationship.

“Decades ago, they (NYC) were struggling to have uniform representation in the parade and they actually had to take their service to court to get into their parade and look how far they’ve come,” McCormack said.

“I look at Toronto and I find it sad that we are regressing instead of progressing.”

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McCormack said they had several offers for their officers, including from Ottawa.

The event in New York City is the same day as Toronto’s own Pride Parade.

With files from The Canadian Press