A judge's ruling declaring the participation of uniformed police officers in a Pride march to be unlawful has been welcomed.
The case was brought by Linzi Smith, a resident of Newcastle and a “gender critical” lesbian who does not believe men can become women and vice versa.
Smith brought a case against Northumbria Police Chief Constable Vanessa Jardine, arguing that police participation in a Pride march indicated support for a specific political ideology and that consequently members of the public could not trust the police to fairly adjudicate disagreements on that ideology.
Mr Justice Linden, speaking at the High Court in Leeds sided against Chief Constable Jardine, saying that allowing officers to take part in Pride events was "outside the range of reasonable decisions open to her".
Smith welcomed the decision, hailing it as a victory for police impartiality. She said the police had "abandoned their duty of impartiality and embraced a highly controversial political cause", reports the BBC.
"Their participation in the Pride march clearly shows where their sympathies lie. My hope is Northumbria Police change their ways and follow this ruling. If they do, they will be policing the community for everyone."
The ruling has been welcomed by the director of The Christian Institute, Ciarán Kelly, who said the judgment “struck a major blow against the capture of the police by LGBT ideology and could spell the end for ‘rainbow’ vehicles and other LGBT branding”.
Following the ruling Northumbria Police confirmed that in future only off duty police officers will be able to join Pride marches but they are not to do so in uniform. However the police said it would still maintain a stall at Pride events and that it would be manned by uniformed officers, but no Pride insignia would be displayed.
Northumbria Police has since announced that all Pride rainbows and transgender livery is to be removed from its vehicles.
The force has been criticised in the past for being overly zealous enforcers of LGBT ideology. In March this year the force was criticised by free-speech campaigner and former police officer Harry Miller, who called its investigation into Smith “utterly corrupt”.
Miller described Smith’s successful case against the force as a “fabulous victory”.
Welcoming Northumbria Police's response to the ruling, Smith said, "The impartiality of the police is vital in ensuring these events can take place in a way that does not restrict free speech. My hope is that my case will have brought the Northumbria Police and other forces back to their core responsibility of policing without fear or favour."
