Exclusive

LGBT charity hits back at Met chief as he says police can wear poppies but must avoid 'attaching' themselves to causes

29 August 2023, 15:54

The Met Chief has urged his officers not to show their support for causes whilst on duty.
The Met Chief has urged his officers not to show their support for causes whilst on duty. Picture: Amaly

By Jasmine Moody

LGBT charity Stonewall has questioned Metropolitan Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley, saying if expressing support for gay rights "is too much for the Met Chief, then what are the hopes for meaningful action?"

Listen to this article

Loading audio...

The group blasted his stance on officers expressing support for causes whilst on duty.

Sir Mark said while poppies are fine, police should limit the causes they attach themselves to.

Stonewall's director of external affairs, Robbe de Santos, told LBC: "Flying a rainbow flag to demonstrate allyship is only a tiny part of the action required to make London a safe city for LGBTQ+ people and root out the institutional homophobia, biphobia and transphobia in the Met.

"If this is too much for the Met Chief, then what are the hopes for meaningful action?"

According to data from The Telegraph, forces in England and Wales spent nearly £66,689 between 2019 to 2022 on rainbow themed merchandise, as well as LGBT themed police cars.

Read more: Met Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley 'can't remember any sexism or racism' during 30-year police career

Read more: 'Well over' 500 Metropolitan Police officers on restricted duties and hundreds more suspended, Sir Mark Rowley reveals

Sir Mark Rowley told the Telegraph that there are not many issues police should attach themselves to.
Sir Mark Rowley told the Telegraph that there are not many issues police should attach themselves to. Picture: Alamy

Sir Mark told the Daily Telegraph: "Wearing a poppy in the autumn is perfectly proper, but there is not a lot that we should align to because the danger is that once you say 'we are going to align ourselves to a cause because 90 per cent of the population support it', what about the 10 per cent?

"Once you start having environmental and other subjects there are lots of people in the organisation who will personally support those causes and that is OK, but the Metropolitan Police explicitly supporting them is quite tricky.

"I'm fairly narrow minded on this. There are very few causes policing should be attached to."

He said officers "engaging with communities to understand what worries them is not woke", but added: "Starting to align yourself to causes is not something policing should be doing."

His comments come after reports that police officers at London Pride were told not to wear a badge commemorating officers killed in the line of duty, due to concerns about links to far-right groups in the UK

In 2020, police were allowed to take the knee at their own discretion.
In 2020, police were allowed to take the knee at their own discretion. Picture: Alamy

Government statistics state that hate crime based off of sexual orientation rose 41% year on year, and 56% against trans people.

The Casey Review shows that the levels of trust in the policy by LGBT Londoners has fallen faster than other groups.

Although, efforts have been made to improve relations between police and the LGBT community,

In the past, officers have shown their support for certain groups.

In June 2020, the Met Police gave the green light to police who wanted to take the knee at their own discretion.

In the same month, a policeman was filmed taking the knee outside of 10 Downing Street, in support of the Black Lives Matter (BLM)  movement.

He was met by cheers of nearby BLM protestors.

A spokesperson for the Metropolitan Police Federation supports Sir Mark's decision.

The group represents officers in the Metropolitan Police Service up to the rank of Chief Inspector.

Vice chairman Rick Prior exclusively told LBC that "the Metropolitan Police Federation supports the Commissioners comments and observations".

"We believe that policing must always be demonstrably neutral with officers performing their duties without fear, favour or prejudice or displaying anything on their uniforms or equipment that shows an affiliation to a particular cause or political viewpoint.

"This must be the case irrespective of how virtuous any particular political cause may appear to be.

"There are always sections of society who hold lawful contrary views to the mainstream, and they must also have full confidence in the police to perform their duties without any kind of bias."

More Latest News

See more More Latest News

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu speaks during a news conference at the Sheba Tel HaShomer Hospital in Ramat Gan, Israel on Saturday, June 8, 2024.

UK, France and Canada slam Netanyahu’s ‘egregious actions’ in Gaza and warn of sanctions

Trump says there's a 'good chance' of Russia-Ukraine peace but US has a red line in talks

Trump says there's a 'good chance' of Russia-Ukraine peace but US has a red line in talks

Andrew Tate and his brother Tristan 'will be extradited to Britain after their trial in Romania' following rape and human trafficking charges

Tristan and Andrew Tate 'will be extradited to Britain following Romanian trial' over rape and human trafficking charges

London, UK. 9th October 2024. Nick Read, CEO of Post Office Limited, arrives at Aldwych House as the Post Office Horizon IT Inquiry continues. Credit: Vuk Valcic/Alamy Live News

Post Office agrees to compensate hundreds of sub-postmasters following data breach

Pupils’ enjoyment of school suffers ‘substantial decline’ in Year 7, study finds

Pupils’ enjoyment of school suffers ‘substantial decline’ in Year 7, study finds

Britain's Chancellor of the Exchequer Rachel Reeves speaks during a reception following the UK-EU summit, in London, Monday May 19, 2025. (Hannah McKay/Pool via AP)

Rachel Reeves U-turns on plans to cut ISA limit to £4k

Prescription drugs

Rise in drug-related deaths blamed for increase in UK mortality rate compared with other high-income countries

Emma Raducanu

Emma Raducanu powers to impressive win over Daria Kasatkina in Strasbourg

Ali Faris Muhammad, 26, died of his wounds after an “altercation” in Brent on Sunday, May 18.

Victim of fatal stabbing in Brent named by police after 'altercation' in north-west London

Donald Trump has reportedly held a phone call with Putin

Russia and Ukraine to 'immediately' start ceasefire talks as Zelenskyy pitches ‘high-level’ meeting of world leaders

Zak Starkey has also previously played with Oasis, Lightning Seeds and Johnny Marr

Zak Starkey sacked from The Who after on-stage row, but says he was told to pretend he quit

Konakli city near Alanya by the Mediterranean Sea, Turkey

Mystery as British tourist, 43, found dead under 'suspicious circumstances’ on Turkish hotel bathroom floor

Donald Trump, left, and Vladimir Putin, right, held a two hour phone call on Monday.

Trump says Russia and Ukraine will ‘immediately start negotiations toward a ceasefire’ after two-hour call with Putin

Food distributed to Palestinians in Gaza under Israeli attacks

First aid trucks enter Gaza after 10-week blockade but UN warns it's just a 'drop in the ocean'

David Chester, 57, died in the blaze

Tributes paid to 'hero' father killed helping firefighters during blaze at former RAF base

One-legged dementia patient Donald Burgess was pepper sprayed and tasered three weeks before he died

Moment police pepper spray and taser amputee care home resident, 92, in his wheelchair shown in court