June 29, 2025 NEW YORK, NY – A simmering dispute between NYC Pride organizers and the Gay Officers Action League (GOAL), representing LGBTQIA+ members of the New York City Police Department (NYPD), is set to boil over this Sunday. GOAL has announced plans to protest the annual NYC Pride March due to a controversial policy prohibiting officers from marching in full uniform with their service weapons.

The protest will see GOAL members, notably joined by NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch, gathering on the west side of Fifth Avenue at 20th Street, just ahead of the parade's start.

The Core of the Conflict: Weapons Policy

At the heart of this contentious issue is Heritage of Pride's staunch "no-weapons policy" for march participants. While organizers have offered a compromise allowing GOAL members to march in uniform without firearms, the officers firmly contend that a "full uniform" inherently includes being armed.

Kazz Alexander, co-chair of Heritage of Pride, articulated the organizers' stance, emphasizing safety: “Members of our organisation 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.”

Despite the disagreement, Heritage of Pride has publicly stated their commitment to continued collaboration. In a statement, the group affirmed, “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.”

GOAL Accuses Pride of Hypocrisy

However, GOAL has not minced words, accusing Pride organizers of hypocrisy. Det. Brian Downey, GOAL President and the NYPD’s highest-ranking LGBTQIA+ officer, highlighted the perceived contradiction of needing police for security at the event while simultaneously restricting their full participation.

“We’re here to affect change. You’re not going to erase us. You have to deal with us,” Downey asserted. He also pointed to the long-standing tradition of GOAL’s participation, noting that members began marching in the 1980s and have done so in uniform since the group's formal recognition in the mid-1990s. “I think it’s just as much of a protest for us than it is for everyone else.”

A Recurring Tension

This isn't the first time friction has arisen between Pride organizers and law enforcement. In 2021, NYC Pride enacted a ban on corrections and law enforcement groups from participating in events, citing a need to ensure safe spaces amid rising violence against marginalized communities, particularly BIPOC and transgender individuals. At the time, GOAL’s leadership condemned the move as “shameful.”

Now, with this renewed standoff, Commissioner Tisch has unequivocally thrown her support behind GOAL. At a recent security briefing, she stated, “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.”

In a strongly worded letter to Pride organizers, Commissioner Tisch further dismissed the proposed compromise as “a PR stunt,” reiterating that officers must carry their weapons when in uniform for safety reasons. She urged Heritage of Pride to reconsider their position, advocating for GOAL to be allowed to march fully uniformed and armed.

The unfolding situation promises to be a significant talking point at this Sunday's NYC Pride March, raising questions about inclusion, safety, and the evolving relationship between the LGBTQIA+ community and law enforcement.