A judge has ruled that Northumbria Police acted unlawfully by taking part in a Gay Pride and transgender rights march.
Officers, including police chief Vanessa Jardine, participated in the 2024 Pride parade in Newcastle. Gender-critical lesbian Linzi Smith argued that it was wrong for uniformed officers to march in an event promoting gender ideology.
Following the court ruling in north-east England, Smith welcomed the decision, saying
I am delighted with the judgment of the court. It is terrifying to live in a community where the police have abandoned their duty of impartiality and embraced a highly controversial political cause.
Heading up the judicial review, Mr Justice Linden ruled
The fact that the officers had publicly stated their support for transgender rights by taking part in the 2024 march would be likely to give the impression that they may not deal with the matter fairly and impartially.
Police were not merely at the event to ensure public order; they deployed a police van in ‘trans’ colours and a separate Pride flag incorporating the local police force’s logo. In response to the ruling, the force issued a statement promising to “work through the ruling to understand the implications, while staying true to our values of fairness, visibility, and support for all.”
Previously, Smith’s gender-critical views online saw her excluded from Newcastle United Football Club, which she has supported all her life. This likely fuelled her concerns about police impartiality. Or maybe she was disturbed by the national picture where the police take sides with ‘transactivists’—such as the force in Surrey, where speculative fishing raids were conducted against a Catholic pundit, even while cops worked closely alongside the dangerous paedophile running the ‘Pride in Surrey’ campaign.
