July 6, 1997
`RESTRAIN' NUDE GAY MARCH
By AARON SANDS
Toronto Sun
Metro Police have their hands tied when it comes to bondage and nudity at the gay pride parade, Metro Councillor Norm Gardner says.
Calling the parade "an embarrassment to the gay community," Gardner said it should be the responsibility of politicians, not police, to clean up the annual Gay Pride Day march.
"The police are in a very touchy position here. If they issue tickets or withhold parade permits they'll be labeled homophobic," said Gardner, who sits on the police services board. "They're trying their best to get along with all of the communities and not create any problems.
"Politicians should sit down with organizers and say it's the bottom level of decency and try to exercise some restraint. We may be bending over backwards because if other people did the same thing, police would take action."
Sgt. Peter Harmsen, who supervised the parade, told The Sun Thursday if public nudity and bondage continue, the parade would be stopped and marchers arrested. He said police would meet with organizers to voice concerns about an event that's gone "past the point of ... common decency."
NUDITY FLAUNTED
The next day a police spokesman disagreed, saying the force isn't troubled by the Yonge St. spectacle that featured naked men flaunting their genitals to kids watching in the crowd, bound and nude men being "tortured" with feathers and whips, and men with pierced testicles in open view.
An officer said yesterday public nudity in the parade has become a "difficult issue" because of the court ruling that allows women to go topless.