Abolition has risen dramatically into public consciousness in recent years, mostly thanks to the Black Lives Matter movement. The leftist critique of police as racist, colonial enforcers of state violence and property is straightforward enough—but how do we put abolition into practice within left-wing organisations?

After the successful election of Charlie Murphy to the Mardi Gras Board in 2019 and the passing of multiple motions against corporate sponsorship of the parade, the success of Pride in Protest shows the very real demand for bringing Mardi Gras back to its protest roots and being a force in broader Australian political discourse.

By taking a stand against the homophobic policies and human rights violations of Scott Morrison, the Liberal Party, the police and corporations, we can give the LGBTQIA+ community a political voice.