Denver PrideFest 2021 Will Not Allow Police Participation

As we ramp up for the virtual and in-person festivities of Pride coming up next month, the organizers of Denver PrideFest announced they will not allow police participation in the virtual parade, nor will they allow law enforcement as exhibitors, according to a statement The Center on Colfax provided to 9NEWS.

The statement, released Tuesday, cites the ongoing racial justice movement and the origins of Pride as a police protest in their decision.

“The entire history of the LGBTQ civil rights movement is rooted in a history of opposing police harassment and violence aimed at our community,” the statement reads. “There are numerous examples of police violence going beyond the famous Stonewall Riots of 1969. For all these decades, The Center has worked to address these issues and improve the relationship between the LGBTQ community and police, and we have made great strides.

“However we cannot in good conscience, as an organization that speaks up for justice, look the other way when it comes to police violence aimed at the Black community—a history of violence that goes back even further in American history. While we value our relationships with law enforcement and want to continue to build a safer community for all Coloradans, we feel we must take a stand.”

This year’s Denver PrideFest will be a combination of virtual and in-person celebrations, with a virtual 5K and parade taking place over the weekend alongside Pride Hubs scattered throughout Denver to offer folks an in-person option to celebrate. The news for Denver PrideFest comes shortly after NYC Pride banned the NYPD from their celebrations through 2025, news that had many queer people online pushing for less police involvement in Pride celebrations nationwide.

A report released by the Williams Institute last week also indicates that queer people are six times more likely to be stopped in a public setting than their straight, cisgender counterparts. Trans community members specifically reported misconduct or harassment while interacting with officers who knew their identity.

In the past, multiple law enforcement agencies have participated in Denver PrideFest.