This morning it became known that police officers will not be allowed to wear uniform during the pride parades this year. According to Emergency Preparedness Director Tone Vangen, it is about safety. It is about the greatest possible prerequisite and safety for the citizens, under the current threat picture. It is not to secure police officers more than others, Vangen told Politiforum. – Should think about whether City Council leader Raymond Johansen asks the police to turn around and allow uniforms in the pride parades. If not, the Minister of Justice will have to step in, he says. – They should think about this once more. One of the reasons is that the police can be a target of attack. When they spread something like this, they have to think about the signal effect they are giving, says Johansen to VG. – They have gone in uniform in pride parades since 2005. On 25 June last year there was a terrorist attack against the London Pub in Oslo, which hit the queer community dramatically. I think it is an unwise decision by the Directorate of Police, he says. Leader of Oslo Pride, Dan Bjørke. Photo: Live Marie Hagen Wold / news The leader of Oslo Pride, Dan Bjørke, says he continues that the police must distinguish between when they are at work and when they are not. The fire service has not decided Justice Minister Emilie Enger Mehl (Sp) says she has been in contact with the Norwegian Police Directorate. – I assume that they have had a good dialogue with and listened carefully to these communities before the decision is made. I hope police officers who want to will still participate in Pride and queer events throughout Norway, Mehl says according to NTB. The fire service has not decided whether they will participate in this year’s pride parade or not, and therefore they have not decided whether they will wear uniforms in the parade either, says communications advisor Haakon Dueland to news. Since 2005, the police have had an exception for wearing uniform in pride parades. It will now be suspended indefinitely. Emergency management director Vangen says the police uniform should only be worn when the officers are at work. – We welcome diversity. The police will still participate in pride, and still go on the train. The only difference is that the police do not wear uniforms, she says in a press release.
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Asking the police to reconsider uniform refusal during pride – news Norway – Overview of news from different parts of the country
