Black Lives Matter Vancouver is asking police to voluntarily withdraw its float from the Canadian city’s upcoming Pride Parade, as a "show of solidarity and understanding" that officer involvement in the march creates an unsafe atmosphere for some communities.
The open letter published by the activist group on Friday comes weeks after its Toronto counterparts halted the city's parade until organizers signed off on a list of demands including banning police floats from future marches.
The Vancouver chapter said it stands with Black Lives Matter Toronto in its discontent with police marching in the parade, which is planned for July 31.
While having police on the ground to perform a civil service is understandable, allowing officers to participate on a float is "insulting" to protesters who made Pride celebrations possible, it said.
Instead, the group proposes a public service float, including police officers, firefighters, paramedics and others, to replace the police-only float, CBC reports.
