Wiltshire Police officers – including the Chief Constable – attended Swindon Pride, but now face potential legal action following a High Court ruling.
At a judicial review in July, Mr Justice Linden found that Northumbria Police’s involvement in Newcastle Pride was “unlawful” – a decision that sets a precedent and will directly influences how other forces act at similar events up and down the country.
During that event, uniformed officers marched with Pride-coloured flags featuring police insignia, wore uniforms displaying the word ‘police’ in Pride colours, and stood by a static display with a Progressive Pride flag.
He said: “It is not hard to imagine circumstances in which the officers in question might be called on to deal with a clash between gender critical people and supporters of gender ideology, and therefore situations where the former had cause for concern as to whether they were being dealt with impartially.
“Leaving aside the question whether the activities in question would be likely to interfere with the relevant officers’ impartial discharge of their duties, on any view they would be likely to give rise to the impression amongst members of the public that they may do so.”
Mr Justice Linden concluded that the force gave the impression that it was “associating itself with a particular viewpoint and, as far as gender critical people were concerned, taking sides”.
As expected, Wiltshire Police officers attended Swindon Pride on Saturday (9 August) – but it’s understood strict guidance was issued to the force ahead of the event.
In previous years, the force showed flamboyant support for the event – with officers heavily involved in the day. In 2021, they even ‘sponsored a zone’ at the event with taxpayer funds.
While marching through town was banned for officers at the weekend, a stand at GWR Park was set up and manned by members of the force’s LGBTQ+ Staff Support Network, and were there on a voluntary basis.
Superintendent Conway Duncan told Wiltshire 999s that following the High Court ruling, “a policy decision was made that on-duty attendance at the Swindon and Wiltshire Pride march was only permitted for officers and staff where it forms part of the official policing response”.
He added that at the event which followed the march, attended by around 10,000 people, “our officers were rightly undertaking their roles – including community engagement – in a visible capacity both inside and outside the event”.
Despite changing how they attended Pride this year, Fair Cop say they’re taking Wiltshire Police to court over their involvement.
The organisation claims it is made up of “gender critical lawyers, police officers, writers and professionals dedicated to upholding Articles 8-11 ECHR & removing politics from policing”.
In a post on X, a spokesperson wrote: “BREAKING! We will now be taking [Wiltshire Police] to court for judicial review with @SVPhillimore as Wiltshire resident as claimant with standing.
“They were explicitly warned in correspondence: they went ahead and have displayed a public political affiliation. They are in contemptuous defiance of the law.”
Fair Cop did not respond to our request for comment.
