"Campaigners say the apology is in contrast to the stance of the chief constable of Greater Manchester police (GMP), Stephen Watson, who earlier this year declined to apologise on behalf of his force, saying that do so could be seen as superficial and merely performative. Burnham's formal apology is made in a letter to the campaigner Peter Tatchell, who has been seeking apologies for the past homophobic persecution of LGBTQ+ people by UK police forces."
"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 homophobic religious beliefs, he ordered the police to go after' LGBTs. Tatchell said police officers were instructed to unlawfully harass gay venues, including a notorious incident in 1984 when 23 plainclothes officers raided Napoleon's bar."
"There is no doubt in my mind whatsoever that the LGBTQ+ community historically were treated shamefully by this country and clearly subject to discrimination in many ways. As mayor of Greater Manchester, I acknowledge the unacceptable discrimination and the pain and suffering it caused. I apologise to all LGBTQ+ people in Greater Manchester and across the UK for the past failin"
Mayor Andy Burnham apologised for past police failings towards LGBTQ+ people and acknowledged the unacceptable discrimination and pain caused. The apology was delivered in a letter to campaigner Peter Tatchell, who has sought apologies for historic homophobic persecution by UK police forces. Chief constable Stephen Watson earlier declined to apologise on behalf of Greater Manchester Police, describing an apology as potentially superficial and performative. More than 20 forces including the Met, Merseyside, Northumbria and Police Scotland have issued apologies. Tatchell highlighted GMP's historical homophobia under Sir James Anderton, unlawful harassment of gay venues and the 1984 Napoleon's bar raid that led to outings, job losses, slurs and violence.
Read at www.theguardian.com
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