A National Union of Students conference has passed a controversial motion vowing not to work or collaborate with the police.
The motion, titled “No Pride in the Police”, claims that many trans people “have faced mistreatment and violence at the hands of the police”.
“The police disproportionately target trans people, along with sex workers, working class communities and communities of colour for policing, leading to an increase in those groups in the prison population,” the motion reads.
Voting on a motion proposed by the University of Manchester Students’ Union, delegates from student unions across the country agreed not to “work or collaborate with the police” and to encourage Pride events not to invite a police presence, “especially Pride events organised by student unions”.
Delegates at the National Union of Students Trans Conference also vowed to “support and organise actions against police presence at Prides”.
NUS LGBT+ officer Noorulann Shahid said: “Trans people, along with people of colour, working class and sex worker groups have long been at the sharp end of policing.
“On the one hand they are disproportionately targeted and therefore over represented throughout the criminal justice system; from street harassment during stop and search up to prison population, whilst simultaneously being under protected and neglected by the police as victims of crime.”
The student officer continued: “These negative and at times traumatic experiences have had a serious impact on the trans community, creating a complete lack of trust and confidence in the police as a result of the suspicion and prejudice they often face.”
The motion was also amended to ensure hate crime reporting centres at universities are trans-inclusive and provide support for victims not linked to the police.
Shahid added: “Trans people are often victims of hate crime and many feel that they cannot report to the police due to transphobic harassment and not being taken seriously.”
The vote was made at the NUS Trans Conference, where Europe’s first full-time trans officer is set to be elected.
Dozens of students and delegates at the conference have shared their support for the move:
The National Police Chief’s Council declined to comment on the issue.