PHOTOS: Pride Down Under At The Sydney Mardi Gras Parade

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PHOTOS: On Saturday, Sydney celebrated the 35th annual Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras Parade, where hundreds of thousands of revelers lined up along Oxford Street for the climax to a month of celebrations.

The festivities were dampened somewhat by at least two reports of excessive force by police officers, but NSW Police Minister Mike Gallacher has met with Mardi Gras representatives and Sydney MP Alex Greenwich and assured the community that Police Professional Standards Command is investigating the incidents.

Photos: Rod Spark Photography


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RodSpark-MGParade2013-2651Dykes on Bikes kick off the parade

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RodSpark-MGParade2013-3310Harbor City Bears

RodSpark-MGParade2013-3331Mr. Leather Chicago Jason Southerland leading two Sydney pups

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RodSpark-MGParade2013-3457Out Olympic Silver Medalist Ji Wallace and boyfriend Shawn Baldwin

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RodSpark-MGParade2013-3506Finale float: “Marry the Night”

Following the footage of police brutality reported yesterday, the Sydney Lesbian and Gay Mardi Gras Board issued the following statement:

Like many of you, we are distressed by this footage, and we have been engaging with politicians, Police and community leaders throughout the day to ensure these incidents, as well as numerous incidents over the course of the Sydney Mardi Gras festival, are formally and transparently addressed and investigated. This has included a meeting with the Minister of Police and a conversation with NSW Premier Barry O’Farrell, who reassured us that complaints are being taken seriously and the investigations will be transparent and in keeping with due process.

A press release on the current status of the issue and what is being done about it can be found here.

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