Peter Tatchell Foundation increases pressure on West Midlands Police to apologise for historic homophobia

The Peter Tatchell Foundation have been urging police chiefs across the UK to apologise for historic homophobic witch-hunts. So far, 21 UK police chiefs have issued statements, however, West Midlands Chief Constable, Craig Guildford has twice refused to make an apology. The Foundation has therefore increased pressure on West Midlands Police by writing to the West Midlands Police & Crime Commissioner, Simon Foster, seeking a long-overdue police apology for past persecution of the LGBTQ+ community.

“In 2023, the Foundation twice requested an apology, but Guildford dismissed the calls outright and refused a meeting,” explains the latest update from The Peter Tatchell Foundation, “When approached at Birmingham Pride, he cut short the conversation and walked away. His refusal comes despite West Midlands Police issuing an apology to the Black community in 2020 for past racist victimisation.

Peter Tatchell at Birmingham Pride talking to the Police Chief

 Metropolitan Police, Merseyside, and Police Scotland are among the 21 forces that have so far issued apologies as part of the campaign which was supported by the late-great Paul O’Grady. The Met’s apology, led by Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley, was accompanied by a new LGBT+ Action Plan and the appointment of dedicated LGBT+ Community Liaison Officers. An apology from all forces across the UK is recommended by Vanessa Jardine, Chief Constable of Northumbria and the ACPO lead on LGBT+ policing, as well as the National Police LGBT+ Network.

Peter Tatchell, Director of the Peter Tatchell Foundation, said: “West Midlands Police were among the most viciously homophobic forces in Britain. Officers engaged in harassment, entrapment, beatings, and raids on gay venues and private birthday parties. Same-sex couples were arrested and assaulted for merely kissing and holding hands. The police publicly outed and shamed LGBT+ people, giving their names to employers and newspapers—destroying lives. If the police can apologise to the Black community, why not to the LGBT+ community?”

“We are asking the Police and Crime Commissioner to intervene to instruct the Chief Constable to apologise – or to make the apology himself on behalf of the police.

“We are not asking for an apology for enforcing past laws, but for the abusive, often unlawful, way they were enforced. A formal apology would help rebuild trust and encourage more LGBT+ people to report hate crimes, domestic violence and sexual assaults.”

The full letter issued to the Police and Crime Commissioner is available to read on the Peter Tatchell Foundation website.