The PTF is asking the Police & Crime Commissioner to apologise after the Chief Constable refused to engage.
Birmingham, UK – 17 March 2025
The Peter Tatchell Foundation has written to the West Midlands Police & Crime Commissioner, Simon Foster, seeking a long-overdue police apology for past persecution of the LGBT+ community.
This follows the twice refusal of the West Midlands Chief Constable, Craig Guildford, to say sorry, despite apologies already given by 21 other UK police chiefs. An apology by all forces is recommended by Vanessa Jardine, Chief Constable of Northumbria and the ACPO lead on LGBT+ policing, and by the National Police LGBT+ Network.
SEE THE LETTER TO SIMON FOSTER HERE
Picture : PTF Executive Officer Pliny Soocoormanee challenging Chief Constable Craig Guildford, Birmingham Pride, 2023.
In 2023, the Foundation twice requested an apology, but Guildford dismissed the calls outright and refused a meeting. When approached at Birmingham Pride, he cut short the conversation and walked away. His refusal comes despite West Midlands Police issuing an apology to the Black community in 2020 for past racist victimisation.
Peter Tatchell, Director of the Peter Tatchell Foundation, said:
“West Midlands Police were among the most viciously homophobic forces in Britain. Officers engaged in harassment, entrapment, beatings, and raids on gay venues and private birthday parties. Same-sex coupes were arrested and assaulted for merely kissing and holding hands. The police publicly outed and shamed LGBT+ people, giving their names to employers and newspapers—destroying lives. If the police can apologise to the Black community, why not to the LGBT+ community?”
“We are asking the Police and Crime Comissioner to intervene to instruct the Chief Constable to apologise – or to make the apology himself on behalf of the police.”
Many other police forces, including the Metropolitan Police, Merseyside, and Police Scotland, have apologised for their role in persecuting LGBT+ people. The Met’s apology, led by Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley, was accompanied by a new LGBT+ Action Plan and the appointment of dedicated LGBT+ Community Liaison Officers.
Tatchell added:
“We are not asking for an apology for enforcing past laws, but for the abusive, often unlawful, way they were enforced. A formal apology would help rebuild trust and encourage more LGBT+ people to report hate crimes, domestic violence and sexual assaults.”