The organisers of the Auckland Pride Parade remain defiant with their controversial decision to ban police officers from marching in uniform - announcing in a statement today the event "is so much more than its corporate sponsors or Government institutions".
The decision to ban uniformed officers marching has divided the rainbow community.
Police have been told they can march as long as it's not in uniform.
But it comes as more and more organisations continue to back out of parade participation in protest, putting the entire event at risk.
This afternoon, BNZ distanced itself from the parade, saying in a statement that "today the Pride@BNZ network has decided not to participate in the 2019 Auckland Pride Parade and we will be participating in the Pride Festival in other ways."
ANZ have also pulled out, saying "given the conflicts surrounding the 2019 parade, our Pride Network is no longer confident that our involvement will be a positive experience."
They join Vodafone, who announced in a statement just minutes after the Auckland Pride Board's own statement this morning that the company's "Rainbow Whānau" LGBTQI+ network would not march next year.
"However, we remain hopeful the board will change their minds, and in that spirit of optimism are proceeding with our plans to be there on the day," the Rainbow Whānau group said. "If our hope is realised and the ban is lifted, we will be the first to congratulate and thank the board for their willingness to listen and respond to the overwhelming call for inclusion.
"If not, unfortunately, we will not be able to march in February."
Yesterday, the Ponsonby Business Association and the Rainbow New Zealand Charitable Trust pulled their support over the decision.
The ban has been divisive even among organisers, with one Auckland Pride board member stepping down in protest.
But proponents of the uniform ban pointed to historic antagonism and between police and the gay community. The decision helps insure "a space for our rainbow communities to feel safe celebrating their gender and sexual identity", the Pride Board said.
"Unfortunately, institutions such as the Police were not able to compromise with the Pride Board despite months of consultation with the community that highlighted more work needed to be done in order for participants to feel safe with the Police's presence in the parade," the Pride Board reiterated today.
"We remain open to finding common ground with institutions that are working towards ensuring they are truly Rainbow inclusive, but have yet to get to that point. True allyship by institutions to our community is listening to its affected members and compromising where possible.
"If members from our community are highlighting concerns around discrimination by those institutions, we expect them to work to address them, and that may include making compromises regarding their participation at the Pride Parade."
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern was one of those marching in the sixth annual Pride Parade.
Many organisations who have previously participated, however, have said exclusion isn't the answer.
"It's simply the right thing to do to stand with the Police in this instance, as we would with any excluded group, and insist on inclusion for all," Vodafone Rainbow Whānau said in its statement today. "We cannot participate in an event that applies different rules for different groups and seems to be acting contrary to its kaupapa.
"We are not in any way delegitimising or disrespecting the concerns of some in the rainbow community who have had bad experiences with the police. However, we echo the sentiment of the Human Rights Commission and others who have applauded the police for the steps they have taken to make the LGBTQI+ community feel safe and included, including the addition of 80 community Liaison Officers."
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