The reason behind the decision is history. 'How can they just take a group of people and tell them they're not allowed to be who they are?' asked 42nd district Democratic State Senator Linda Holmes. There will already be uniformed officers and vehicles present outside the parade route, and we want the parade route to feel as welcoming as possible for everyone.' It reads in part, 'APD is absolutely ahead of many other departments, but there's still work to be done.
Parade organizers were unavailable for a comment Tuesday night, but referred FOX 32 to a news release posted on their website. 'The irony is not lost on us that we're basically being asked to come to an event of inclusion, but do so without being our authentic selves and showing off who we are,' said Sgt.
