San Francisco mayor won’t march in Pride parade due to uniform ban

San Francisco Mayor London Breed said she will not march in the city’s Pride parade next month unless organizers allow law enforcement to wear their uniforms while marching. 

Parade organizers decided earlier this month to request that anyone from law enforcement agencies planning to participate to “do so out of uniform and in an alternative attire that still represents their organization,” according to a statement on San Francisco Pride’s website.  

Breed said she made a difficult decision to not participate to support members of the LGBTQ community who serve in the city’s police, sheriff’s and fire departments. 

“These are police officer, sheriff’s deputies, and firefighters who wear their uniforms truly with pride — in part because of the challenges they had to personally overcome, and in part because of the progress they’ve seen in their own departments,” she said. “Their presence in uniform serves as a message to others across the country that San Francisco values diversity and inclusion in our public safety departments, and in our city.” 

Pride’s board of directors made the request to ensure that participants feel safe and the parade remains “a positive, celebratory event for all, especially for our Black, Trans, and Lesbian/Gay/Queer+ family.” 

The San Francisco Police Officer’s Pride Alliance and LGBTQ members of the San Francisco Sheriff’s Office and San Francisco Fire Department said in a joint statement Monday that they would not participate in the parade in light of the organizers’ decision. 

Breed said she hopes the board reverses its decision, but the city will still celebrate Pride throughout next month regardless. She said she will raise the Pride flag at city hall and participate in other Pride events happening next month.