The Auckland Pride Parade will not go ahead next year, reports say.
Auckland Pride made the announcement at a community hui on Tuesday night held at Freemans Bay Community Hall, reports Express magazine.
It's understood there will be no corporate sponsors involved in the march and there will be no opening gala or closing party. However, the 2019 Auckland Pride Festival will run from February 1-17.
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The annual parade down Auckland's Ponsonby Rd was set to take place on February 16 next year, but a decision by the Board of Auckland Pride to ban police from wearing their uniforms in the parade sparked backlash.
Senior District Liaison Officer Tracy Phillips told Newshub at the time police officers were disappointed by the board's decision, adding that if police were not welcome in uniform, then "we're not going to force ourselves on anybody".
The board's decision led to a string of high-profile supporters and sponsors boycotting the event in solidarity with police, including the New Zealand Defence Force, SkyCity, BNZ, Vodafone, and the founder of Auckland Pride himself.
The controversial move by the board led to a community hui last month described as "incredibly tense" where attendees were invited along to share their views on the police uniform ban. It ended in a physical altercation.
Earlier this month the Auckland Pride Board survived a vote of no confidence. Hundreds of people reportedly attended a general meeting at Pitt St Methodist Church in central Auckland, where media were not able to attend.
A crowdfunding page for the parade was set-up after the sponsors pulled out by those who supported the police uniform ban. The page says trans-people are "still being misgendered and strip searched by police officers who do not reflect their gender".
The crowdfunding page has since risen over $30,000 by 630 donors.
Newshub.
