PSNI: Minister fears force is 'slipping backwards' on LGBT issues

Andrew Muir became a Stormont minister earlier this year

The Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) risks its relationship with the LGBT community "slipping backwards", a Stormont minister has said.

Andrew Muir, who is gay, was speaking as part of a BBC Spotlight programme into the murder of a police officer.

He said not allowing officers to take part in the 2023 Belfast Pride parade in uniform was "concerning".

The PSNI said the decision was taken to comply with its obligations on impartiality.

"There had been a lot of goodwill built up as a result of the decision previously to take part, and that has had a real significant impact," the minister for agriculture, environment and rural affairs said.

"There's a journey that needs to be undertaken to redress that issue in terms of policing.

"We can't just let that go as if it was right."

In the interview - given ahead of his appointment as a new Executive minister in February - Mr Muir said the police had more work to do with the community.

Police Land Rovers at Belfast Pride in 2017

PSNI officers first paraded in uniform at the Belfast Pride event in 2017.

It had faced criticism as some saw the attendance of officers in uniform as an official endorsement of LGBT campaign issues.

In a statement to Spotlight, the PSNI said it understood the decision would come as a disappointment to many, adding "we're under no illusions around its impact on the community".

"We want to reassure everyone that this decision in no way lessens the commitment of the Police Service to support our LGBTQIA+ colleagues and serve the community."

The PSNI said it would continue to attend and support Pride events, but officers were not permitted to take part in the parade in uniform.

It said officers could still attend in a private capacity, whilst off duty, but they could not make reference to their role as a police officer, or purport to represent the service.

Members of the PSNI first took part in Belfast Pride in uniform in 2017

Mr Muir, who came out in 1996, claimed there was "institutional homophobia" from within the police dating back to when it was known as the Royal Ulster Constabulary (RUC) before a wide-reaching reform of policing in the early 2000s.

The PSNI said policing had "not always got things right and the relationship with our LGBTQIA+ community has in the past been particularly challenging".

"There have been instances where the police could and should have done better, and in hindsight we have on occasions failed that community," it said in a statement.

Listen to the BBC's podcast on the murder of Darren Bradshaw, 'Blood on the Dance Floor' here.

BBC Spotlight investigated the murder of RUC officer Darren Bradshaw, who was shot and killed by republican paramilitary group the Irish National Liberation Army in 1997.

Mr Bradshaw had been socialising in Belfast's first openly gay venue, the Parliament.

The documentary looks into the origins of the historic LGBT space in the city, where Mr Bradshaw regularly went.

Darren Bradshaw was shot in the back

He was suspended from the RUC at the time of the attack, after allegations were made that he had attended a party with other gay men where drugs had been used.

Vincent Creelan, who was with Mr Bradshaw for the start of the internal disciplinary process, said he denied any wrongdoing.

He believed Mr Bradshaw's sexuality may have influenced the decision to suspend him.

"The impression was given was that this was an embarrassment for the RUC," said Mr Creelan, who worked at the Garnerville police training centre in Belfast.

Vincent Creelan set up the first Gay Police Association in Northern Ireland

He said he also tried to persuade Mr Bradshaw not to attend the Parliament bar because his life was at risk.

"Special Branch were aware that a terrorist organisation was showing interest in Darren, in a police officer, who attended the bar and that he was the subject of a threat," Mr Creelan told Spotlight.

"He was suspended, so he's vulnerable, he's easy.

"You're dealing with one individual who doesn't have a gun anymore, doesn't have protection.

"He was being told that paramilitaries were after him."

Former Parliament performers and regulars told Spotlight that Mr Bradshaw's killing had a "devastating effect" on the gay scene at the time.

Robert McCready is known as his drag persona the Baroness Titti Von Tramp

Robert McCready, who is known for his drag persona the Baroness Titti Von Tramp, said the murder "fragmented the gay scene".

"It did take a long time for that to come back because it just wasn't there, and people just didn't feel safe going out," he said.

"I can remember somebody said to me: 'He should have got more of you.'

"You're sitting going: 'That's horrible', because it was hard enough as it was, and you are sitting having to deal with that.

"You're in limbo, you've lost friends, you've lost a connection with people. That's hard to find."

Blood on the Dance Floor will be shown on BBC One Northern Ireland at 22:40 on Tuesday 19 March and on BBC iPlayer.