PSNI to take part in Dublin Pride
NI police force to join Garda in parade
Police from both sides of the Irish border will march in Dublin's Pride parade.
Uniformed PSNI officers will join their counterparts from the Garda on Saturday.
Gardai are participating in Dublin Pride in uniform for the first time.
On Thursday the PSNI announced that its officers had accepted an offer from Garda Commissioner Drew Harris to attend.
Mr Harris was one of the senior officers behind the PSNI's decision to take part in Belfast Pride for the first time in 2017.
He was the PSNI Deputy Chief Constable when he invited Gardai to join his officers for the Belfast event.
The invitation has now come the other way, with Mr Harris now the top officer south of the border.
Current PSNI Deputy Chief Constable Stephen Martin announced the move:
"Following an invitation from An Garda Siochana Commissioner Drew Harris, the Chief Constable, George Hamilton, has given permission for PSNI officers to take part in the Dublin Pride parade, in uniform, on Saturday 29 June.
"Police Service staff will also be attending.
"This will be the first time that officers, in uniform, and staff from the Police Service of Northern Ireland have taken part in Dublin Pride on foot of an invitation.
"Over the last few years, officers from An Garda Siochana have participated with us as part of Belfast Pride.
"Pride is an important series of events for those who identify as being LGBTQ and we see this as an opportunity to continue to support, and build upon our relationship with, the LGBTQ community and our colleagues in An Garda Siochana."