West Midlands’ Chief Constable, Craig Guildford, was challenged at Birmingham Pride on Saturday, May 27 over his force’s refusal to apologise for its past “witch-hunting of the LGBTQ+ community”.
The first request for an apology was made at Birmingham Pride in 2021, and subsequent requests have been made, the most recent earlier this year. There has been no engagement and still no apology despite, according to the Peter Tatchell Foundation, other forces engaging.
As Saturday’s Pride march began, the Chief Constable was confronted by Pliny Soocoormanee, a West Midlands resident, and Executive Officer at the human rights organisation Peter Tatchell Foundation.
Mr Guildford was reminded that in the decades before the full decriminalisation of homosexuality in 2003, West Midlands officers went out of their way to target and arrest thousands of gay and bisexual men for consenting, victimless behaviour.
According to the Peter Tatchell Foundation, they were “one of the most zealously homophobic police forces in the country, with arrest figures way above the national average”.
Pliny said: ‘The West Midlands force targeted consenting, victimless behaviour that harmed no one. Over the decades, it wrecked the lives of thousands of LGBTQ+ people.’
Pliny added, “Mr Guildford has promised to respond this time, and we look forward to a speedy and positive dialogue. LGBTs in the West Midlands deserve this.”
Police forces worldwide have apologised for similar behaviour, but West Midlands won’t discuss it. In contrast, two other major UK police services are engaging positively and constructively with the #ApologiseNow campaign launched by the Peter Tatchell Foundation. While discussions are ongoing, the human rights organisation will not be releasing the names of these forces.
“The failure of the police to say whether they will apologise is an act of bad faith. It shows contempt for the LGBT+ community,” said Peter Tatchell, director of the Peter Tatchell Foundation.
West Midlands Police has failed to respond to an invitation to attend a meeting at the House of Lords on 7 June to discuss the case for an apology with MPs and Lords, chaired by Baroness Helena Kennedy KC.
“The lack of engagement by West Midlands police is extremely disappointing and sends a very negative signal to the LGBTQ+ community,” added Mr Tatchell.
“The former Chief Constable, Sir David Thompson, apologised in 2020 to the black community for the history of racism by its officers. This apology was applauded. It strengthens the case for a similar apology to the LGBTQ+ community.
“A formal apology would draw a line under past homophobic persecution and help improve LGBTQ+ trust and confidence in the police, which is what we all want,” said Mr Tatchell.