POLICE in News South Wales are seeking a court order to block a protest by a LGBTQI group planned for the Sydney funeral of Cardinal George Pell.
A police application to the NBSW Supreme Court will aim to prohibit the protest, citing safety concerns for the community.
“Despite attempted negotiations with organisers, safety concerns associated with their proposed assembly cannot be adequately mitigated without amendments to the proposal,” the statement said.
“The NSW Police Force recognises and supports the rights of individuals and groups to exercise their rights of free speech and peaceful assembly, however, the first priority is always the safety of the wider community.”
Cardinal Pell will lie in state at St Mary’s Cathedral today before his funeral mass tomorrow (February 2).
Community Action for Rainbow Rights had applied to protest at Hyde Park across the road from the Cathedral tomorrow.
“We are calling on all supporters of LGBTI and women’s rights to join us for a protest outside of his funeral service to send a strong message: we reject George Pell and everything he stood for,” it said on social media.
Cardinal Pell died aged 81 in Rome on January 10 after suffering a cardiac arrest after a hip operation.
Since then, both NSW and Victorian governments said they would not host a state funeral.
Another protest, organised separately, is to be held today at St Mary’s Cathedral. A social media post claims attendees intend to tie ribbons around the forecourt to “amplify the voices of survivors and victims of child sexual abuse”.
