NSW Police backflip on decision to ban LGBTQ+ protest outside Pell’s funeral

NSW Police have retracted an attempt to ban LGBTQ+ rights protesters from marching outside George Pell’s funeral at St Mary’s Cathedral. 

Community Action for Rainbow Rights (CARR), a queer rights campaign group in Sydney, had planned a protest for George Pell’s funeral on 2 February to condemn his commitment to right-wing conservatism and the harm he caused to victims of child sexual abuse in the Catholic Church. The group point out his opposition to same sex marriage, women’s rights and climate denialism as key points to protest.

In response, NSW Police sought a court order from the Supreme Court to prevent the protestors from marching outside the cathedral. The police commissioner applied under section 25 of the Summary Offences Act (1998) to prohibit the holding of a public assembly.

A spokesperson for the police cited “safety concerns associated with their proposed assembly [which] cannot be adequately mitigated without amendments to the proposal”.

However, following negotiations between CARR and the police, barrister Sebastian De Brennan confirmed that an “alternative route has been agreed to”, and the police will no longer seek a court order. Protesters will walk up to College Street but not along it, avoiding passage in front of St Mary’s Cathedral.

In a statement, protest organiser Kim Stern said “Pell was a monster who crusaded against the rights of women, gays and transgender people, and was complicit in a culture of systematic child abuse within the church. 

“Police tried to stifle opposition to a public celebration of that man’s disgraceful life. The defiance of activists against this appalling police censorship, and ensuing publicity, has secured our right to march.”

CARR activist Eddie Stephenson said “We call on all progressive people to join us opposite the Cathedral at 10.30am and stand for women’s rights, LGBTI rights and justice for survivors of abuse at the hands of the church.”

This follows the removal of ribbons tied to the gates of St Mary’s Cathedral in Ballarat in support of Pell’s victims. A spokesperson from the Catholic Church said that this was done to reduce the association between institutional sexual abuse and Cardinal Pell in the lead up to his funeral.