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Police call Pride protesters 'an ugly rabble' (www.abc.net.au)

submitted 7 months ago by unionagainstdhmo@aussie.zone to c/australia@aussie.zone

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[-] WhatAmLemmy@lemmy.world 51 points 7 months ago* (last edited 7 months ago)

Nevo said some people forgot the darker history of how pride marching began in the 1970s in Australia.

This is shit reporting. You don't drop that and provide no context — the context is that cops were historically extremely corrupt and homophobic; barely investigating most "gay bashings", murders, and rapes among the community; with the police often being the perpetrators themselves.

Australian cops are far less racist, homophobic, and discriminatory today, but still have a long way to go.

[-] shalafi@lemmy.world 9 points 7 months ago

"gay bashings"

We had a different adjective in the 80s. Can't say it now, offends people. But the word packs more punch, more hate, more meaning. But we dast not say it. Might offend people, can't have that. Even in service of history that might make folks feel the truth of those times.

Ban incoming for uncomfortable words... (that my gay friends called themselves in the day...)

We called it "fag bashing". For you kids that weren't around, it meant dudes cruising gay bars and beating the living shit out of men who dared step outside.

Sorry y'all, but "gay bashing" is too wimpy for me. Kinda like calling lynchings "black fights". Those times were fucking awful, let's not water down the words used.

[-] Taleya@aussie.zone 1 points 7 months ago

Whole buncha motherfuckers in this thread need to watch deep water: the real story and get a taste of what it was like.

[-] Marsupial@quokk.au 32 points 7 months ago

Police are a bunch of bastards so fuck what they think.

[-] zik@aussie.zone 13 points 7 months ago

Police weren't happy about gay pride back in the 1970s and it seems they haven't really evolved since then.

[-] xilliah@beehaw.org 4 points 7 months ago

So who's protesting what and why and why were the cops attacked?

[-] Taleya@aussie.zone 16 points 7 months ago* (last edited 7 months ago)

Cops don't belong at pride events wearing the uniforms traditionally used to kick the shit out of the community

[-] wscholermann@aussie.zone -1 points 7 months ago* (last edited 7 months ago)

"But protesters said police shouldn't be allowed to participate in the event given why people began protesting in the 1970s."

Ok so cops today get paint thrown at them for events that happened 40 or 50 years ago? That doesn't seem reasonable to me. Some police today weren't even born when this stuff happened, but they nonetheless get punished away?

I really do think this sins of the father stuff has to stop. This is exactly how centuries long feuds between groups of people keep going. And the idea of collective punishment is an appalling doctrine which is what this kind of stuff amounts to as well.

On a practical level, punishing police who support lgbt is not helpful and will do nothing to stamp out those pockets of police that are still problematic.

And above all else, uniform aside these are individuals and should be treated with respect. Just seeing the uniform and nothing else really is dehumanising.

[-] Taleya@aussie.zone 19 points 7 months ago* (last edited 7 months ago)

They are not the "sins of the fathers" Police are still doing very real harm to the community.
You're not "supporting LGBT" if the first thing you do when something you don't like happens is start attacking them physically and in the press.

Most people couldn't give a shit if someone employed as a police officer went full bore ham at pride. It's the marching in uniform that is the big fucking issue. This could have been avoided. It could have been acknowledged as a bad idea. People have not been subtle about "We do not want uniformed police officers acting like we are their PR machine" for literal years now. But they went ahead anyway in defiance of all logic and sentiment, shit happened and now it's OHH THE ABHORRENTSSSSSSSSSS

It is not. helping. matters. And they have to see that - so why do they keep persisting?

[+] wscholermann@aussie.zone -8 points 7 months ago* (last edited 7 months ago)

Some police are. That doesn't justify what was done. Are you going to throw paint on Palestinians for what Hamas did? It's the same kind of thinking - collective guilt. One of your colleagues did something bad so fuck you, you're going to cop it. Sorry that's not justice, that's just hate.
If your colleagues are being attacked would you really stand back and do nothing? That's not reasonable. The police still have to restore order.
Some people as you put it do not get to decide who can or can't march in pride. Pride is for everyone , even for police in uniform if they come in the right spirit. It's not the decision to make of a handful who can or cannot attend. They had a childish dummy spit because they didn't get their way.
What exactly are they aiming for? Perfect behavior from every police officer forever more? That's not realistic. Every profession will always have dodgy cunts and always will. Police can try and have policies and procedures in place but demanding perfection before deciding they want police to march really is silly.
And again uniform or not, throwing paint on someone is a form of assault and it's not legal. What did they think was going to happen in the media? A pat on the back and hugs and kisses?

[-] Taleya@aussie.zone 14 points 7 months ago* (last edited 7 months ago)

really can't help feeling you're being a bit deliberately obtuse here

The police uniform is an instantly identifiable marker of an institution that has been harming the community since forever. That "dark history" that's referred to in the article? That's not just "cops were beating up protestors" it's "people were protesting because cops were murdering us with impunity"

The issue is with the institution - you're acting like it's the individuals. Individuals aren't the uniform. The uniform is worn as part of a job. Demanding to march in that uniform is demanding to march as the institution. You gonna keep pretending you don't see why there would be an issue with that?

[-] princessnorah@lemmy.blahaj.zone 6 points 7 months ago

Witches and Faggots, Dykes and Poofters is a really good documentary about the first pride in Sydney in 1978. There are first hand accounts of just why cops shouldn’t be at pride.

[-] wscholermann@aussie.zone 1 points 7 months ago* (last edited 7 months ago)

I think you are missing the point. If the institution has an official policy of being anti lgbt and it was systemic then I might have some sympathy for your argument, but it's not at that level. And let's face it if it was really that bad cops wouldn't want march anyway.

Vicpol has over 20,000 employees and it is absolutely ridiculous to stop police marching outright because of the actions of a few.

And I stand by my point that it doesn't justify attacking innocent individuals, not now, not ever, in uniform or otherwise. That's called respecting individual rights and liberty. You don't get to attack someone just because they put on a uniform. If you think that's ok I can't help you.

And as for history lots of bad things happened in history. The answer is not to bring it into the present with more toxic and hostile behavior from either side.

[-] Taleya@aussie.zone 4 points 7 months ago

lots of bad things happened in history. The answer is not to bring it into the present with more toxic and hostile behavior

so uh, how come the queer community has to be the bigger guy here and not the cops?

'cos you keep going "oh sins of the father" "history history history" like it's before anyone was born while I'm also talking about events that happened this decade.

[-] wscholermann@aussie.zone -2 points 7 months ago* (last edited 7 months ago)

I've already addressed your point. It's immoral to punish one group of people for someone else's actions.

It's not official policy of police to target lgbt, police management aren't condoning dodgy behavior and yes it's not easy to stamp out problem police. It's an ongoing process and always will be. Ergo it's silly to ban police from the march and sickening to see attacks on innocent police for something someone else did. Black and white thinking and not seeing someone's humanity is problematic.

Our justice system is based on punishment against individuals and not collectives. If you like the idea of collective punishment there are many other countries you can move to where that kind of thing is acceptable.

This is unfortunately another form of tribalism and us versus them mentality where there's really no need for it. The entire police force are not out to get LGBT in this country.

It is entirely possible to recognize the small pockets of problem police whilst at the same time celebrating and supporting those police doing good work. They aren't mutually exclusive.

[-] Taleya@aussie.zone 5 points 7 months ago* (last edited 7 months ago)

You're still not getting it.

No one is punishing a "group of people". This has been pointed out to you repeatedly. People have issues with the institution.

Cops aren't a fucking demographic no matter how hard you try and palestinian/hamas at it. It's a job. And that job is renowned for encouraging, supporting and defending employees and behaviours that harm members of the community.

[-] wscholermann@aussie.zone -3 points 7 months ago* (last edited 7 months ago)

What do you think makes up an institution ? It's a grouping of people.........a collection of individuals. So it seems you're not getting it.

So yes, it's still punishing individuals for what other individuals within an institution does.

You seem to be supportive of these paint attacks. That's worrying because one day it's paint, what else is next? Physical violence?

[-] Taleya@aussie.zone 6 points 7 months ago

You seem to be supportive of these paint attacks. That’s worrying because one day it’s paint, what else is next? Physical violence?

.....come back when you're not trying to pull this bullshit.

[-] Zane@aussie.zone 10 points 7 months ago

They were protesting the police marching in the pride parade

[-] xilliah@beehaw.org 1 points 7 months ago

How is that bad?

[-] Zane@aussie.zone 2 points 7 months ago

The police marching at Pride or the protesters?

[-] autotldr@lemmings.world 3 points 7 months ago

This is the best summary I could come up with:

Chief Commissioner Shane Patton, who participated in the march, called the group of up to 50 people "an ugly rabble".

He said there was a premeditated decision to throw paint at police participating in the event in St Kilda.

Chief Commissioner Patton said the 100 unarmed members taking part showed restraint and he has "nothing but contempt" for the group.

"Our intention was literally just to walk in front of them, so that it would be raised awareness that we rejected police in midsummer."

Nevo, who uses they/them pronouns, said many of those taking part in today's protest disagree with allowing police to participate in the march.

Nevo said some people forgot the darker history of how pride marching began in the 1970s in Australia.

The original article contains 378 words, the summary contains 125 words. Saved 67%. I'm a bot and I'm open source!

[-] Taleya@aussie.zone 5 points 7 months ago

bad bot holy shit that's an awful truncation.

[-] muntedcrocodile@lemmy.world 2 points 7 months ago

Not great grammar but gets the content across seems fine to me

this post was submitted on 04 Feb 2024

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