June 28, 2025 New York, NY – A simmering dispute between the organizers of NYC Pride and the Gay Officers Action League (GOAL), an organization representing LGBTQIA+ New York City Police Department officers, has reached a boiling point just days before Sunday's highly anticipated Pride March. At the heart of the controversy is a decision by Heritage of Pride, the non-profit behind NYC Pride, to prohibit GOAL members from participating in full uniform, citing a strict "no weapons" policy for the event.

This exclusion has ignited strong reactions from GOAL and top NYPD officials, who are decrying the move as hypocritical and counterproductive to the very inclusivity the LGBTQ+ community champions.

The Sticking Point: Uniforms and Firearms

Heritage of Pride's stance is clear: full police uniforms inherently include the concealed carry of firearms, which violates their long-standing rule against weapons at the march. Kazz Alexander, co-chair of Heritage of Pride, emphasized the organization's commitment to safety. "Members of our organization and our community feel that we need to be safe in the March and in the space that we are inhabiting together. That means no weapons," Alexander told CBS News New York, adding, "We invite GOAL to be a part of the March, just not with weapons."

Accusations of Hypocrisy from NYPD Leadership

However, this explanation isn't sitting well with GOAL and the NYPD leadership. Detective Brian Downey, the highest-ranking LGBTQIA+ member of the NYPD and president of GOAL, didn't mince words. He labeled the organizers' position as "hypocritical," especially given that the NYPD is relied upon for security along the parade route.

"We're here to affect change. You're not going to erase us. You have to deal with us," Downey asserted, highlighting GOAL's long history of participation in the Pride March, including decades of marching proudly in uniform after the NYPD formally recognized the group in the mid-1990s. He views their presence in uniform as an act of protest and visibility.

NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch echoed Downey's sentiments, expressing her dismay during a security briefing on Friday. "It is the height of hypocrisy that uniformed officers from GOAL are fit to line the parade route and keep everyone safe, but they are unable to march in their own uniform and under their own banner," Tisch stated. "That is in direct opposition to the inclusivity that the LGBTQ+ community has fought so hard for."

Photo Provided by X

A Recurring Point of Contention

This isn't the first time GOAL and NYC Pride have clashed over the issue of law enforcement presence. In 2021, NYC Pride announced a ban on corrections and law enforcement exhibitors at its events, a decision made to "create safer spaces for the LGBTQIA+ and BIPOC communities at a time when violence against marginalized groups, specifically BIPOC and trans communities, has continued to escalate." At the time, GOAL's vice president criticized the move as "shameful."

In a statement released amid the current debate, Heritage of Pride reiterated its commitment, stating, "NYC Pride remains committed to finding a way to work with GOAL in our shared vision to improve policing as we continue creating safe spaces for the entire LGBTQIA+ community."

As Sunday's march approaches, the ongoing tension highlights the complex and evolving relationship between the LGBTQIA+ community, law enforcement, and the very definition of "safe spaces" within Pride celebrations.