A barrister has launched a legal challenge against Wiltshire Police, accusing the force of breaching its duty of neutrality by supporting Pride events.
Sarah Phillimore, who is taking the case, argues active police involvement in political causes is the stuff of dictatorships” and insists the police force “must be impartial.”
The legal challenge could set a precedent for future cases involving police involvement in political events by determining whether police can join in with political movements or if they have to maintain strict neutrality.
The case, which is being heard in the High Court, follows a similar ruling against Northumbria Police earlier this year, which found police involvement in Pride marches created a perception of political bias.
At the hearing in July, Mr Justice Linden, found that Northumbria Police’s involvement in Newcastle Pride was ‘unlawful’.
This was because officers marched with Pride-coloured flags, wore uniforms with the word ‘police’ in Pride colours and stood by Pride flags.
The issue, Mr Linden stated, was that it would appear to gender critical people that the police force was ‘taking sides’.
Ms Phillimore, founder of Fair Cop, a voluntary group which aims to tackle what it sees as the criminalisation of free speech, believes Wiltshire police ignored the ruling given in the case against Northumbria police last July by joining in the Swindon Pride event in August.
A barrister has launched a legal challenge against Wiltshire Police, accusing the force of breaching its duty of neutrality by supporting Pride events
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During that event, it is claimed Wiltshire police set up a stall, handed out Pride-themed stickers, and displayed Pride flags.
Officers also wore T-shirts with Pride motifs and Progress lanyards.
The force’s actions were widely publicised on its social media channels, where one of its Community Support Officers was prominently featured.
The same officer is also a key figure in Swindon and Wiltshire Pride as the event’s merchandising and sponsorship manager.
James Gardner, a partner at solicitors Conrathe Gardner LLP, who is representing Ms Phillimore, argued that Wiltshire Police’s involvement gives the public the impression that the force supports the controversial issue of gender ideology.
He said: “We reminded Wiltshire Police of their duty of impartiality, but it fell on deaf ears.
“They lent their full support to the event, with a stall run by staff members wearing police T-shirts with Pride motifs and Progress lanyards, displaying Pride and Progress flags and handing out Pride stickers to the public.
This patently gives the public the impression that the police support trans causes, and these are based on the deeply contested issue of gender ideology.
“Pride is a political cause and Wiltshire Police should not be supporting it. They need to be called to account for this unlawful conduct.”
Wiltshire Police’s Superintendent Conway Duncan insisted that the force was only involved with the celebrations as part of its ‘official policing response.
In a previous interview, he said: “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: “Our officers were rightly undertaking their roles – including community engagement – in a visible capacity both inside and outside the event.”
A spokesman for Wiltshire Police said: “We are responding to a claim regarding our involvement in Swindon and Wiltshire Community Pride events.
“As this is an ongoing legal challenge, it would be inappropriate to comment further at this stage.”