Andy Burnham apologises for Greater Manchester Police’s history of homophobia
"I apologise to all LGBTQ+ people in Greater Manchester and across the UK for the past failing of GMP," Burnham wrote
By Callum Wells
Andy Burnham has issued a formal apology for the historic homophobic persecution of LGBTQ+ people by Greater Manchester Police (GMP).
In a letter to Peter Tatchell, the mayor of Greater Manchester acknowledged that LGBTQ+ people were subjected to “unacceptable discrimination” by GMP and apologised for the “pain and suffering it caused”.
“I apologise to all LGBTQ+ people in Greater Manchester and across the UK for the past failing of GMP,” Burnham wrote, in his role as mayor and police and crime commissioner.
“I am grateful to Andy Burnham for his clear and unequivocal apology for the historic mistreatment of LGBT+ people by Greater Manchester Police” – Peter Tatchell
The apology comes despite repeated refusals from GMP chief constable Stephen Watson to issue a similar statement, even when presented with evidence of abusive, unlawful and homophobic police behaviour.
Responding to Burnham’s apology, Tatchell, director of the Peter Tatchell Foundation, welcomed the move but criticised GMP’s continued silence.
“I am grateful to Andy Burnham for his clear and unequivocal apology for the historic mistreatment of LGBT+ people by Greater Manchester Police.
“However, it is deeply disappointing that the Chief Constable continues to refuse to say sorry. A mayoral apology, welcome though it is, cannot substitute for an apology from the police force that carried out these abuses.
“Our Foundation will continue to campaign for a full and formal apology from Greater Manchester Police” – Tatchell
“An official GMP apology would be a powerful act of accountability, reconciliation and trust-building with LGBT+ communities. We urge the Chief Constable to follow the example set by Mayor Burnham and other police chiefs across Britain.
“Our Foundation will continue to campaign for a full and formal apology from Greater Manchester Police.”
Tatchell went on to outline GMP’s record of historic homophobia, describing it as “one of the most homophobic police forces in the UK”.
“In the 1980s, the then Chief Constable, Sir James Anderton, infamously said that gay men dying of AIDS were ‘swirling around in a human cesspit of their own making’. Motivated by his homophobic religious beliefs, he ordered the police to ‘go after’ LGBTs.
“GMP officers were directed to unlawfully harass gay venues, including a notorious raid by 23 police officers on Napoleon’s bar in 1984. The names and addresses of members were illegally seized, patrons were forcibly and unlawfully photographed. They were intimidated by aggressive bullying officers who used homophobic slurs and stamped on their feet.
Many other UK police forces have already apologised for their histories of homophobic victimisation
“In some cases, gay and bisexual men were publicly outed by the police. They lost their jobs and were subjected to homophobic insults, threats and violence as a result of these abuses by Manchester police.
“There were also regular police raids on the New Union bar, Rembrandt Hotel and the Clone Zone shop. These were acts of vindictive, malicious police harassment.
“Greater Manchester police openly boasted: ‘We’ve been trying to close these queer places for years.’ This was a clear admission of a witch-hunt and homophobic vendetta.
“GMP hounded a group of gay men, who became known as the Bolton 7. In 1998, they were victims of the last great show trial of gay men in Britain. Despite being involved in consenting sex in the privacy of their own homes, police insulted and intimidated them, treating them like rapists and child sex abusers. They were later compensated by the State (but not by GMP) for the suffering they endured at the hands of the police. But the Chief Constable still refuses to say sorry.”
Tatchell also pointed out that many other UK police forces have already apologised for their histories of homophobic victimisation.
“Many other UK police forces have since apologised for their history of homophobic victimisation. The Metropolitan Police Commissioner and 20 other Chief Constables have issued a full apology for their past witch-hunts against the LGBT+ communities:
City of London, Sussex, Merseyside, Police Scotland, Northumberland, Durham, Derbyshire, Suffolk, Devon & Cornwall, Dorset, North Yorkshire, Wiltshire, Gwent, West Mercia, Nottinghamshire, Avon & Somerset, Cambridgeshire, Lincolnshire, South Yorkshire and Gloucestershire.
“GMP has so far refused to do the same. We urge Stephen Watson to do so,” he said.
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