Pink Dot rally organisers welcome police advisory

SINGAPORE — Organisers of the annual Pink Dot gathering taking place this Saturday (June 28) have responded to a police advisory issued earlier today, saying they are “particularly mindful of park rules and regulations related to the issues of race and religion”.

A spokesperson for the Pink Dot Organising Committee said they have “endeavoured to stay within the law” over the past five years and have acceded to the rules “without incident”. The spokesperson assured that this year’s event will be no different.

The police advisory had noted that citizens can use the Speakers’ Corner for assembly or public speech without a police permit so long as the topics do not relate to race or religion. Event organisers are responsible for ensuring that activities “do not contravene the regulations governing the use of Speaker’s Corner or the law”, the police said.

The Pink Dot Organising Committee spokesperson added that organisers have taken “all measures to ensure a good event experience” — such as deploying more than a hundred volunteers to manage crowds and keep the part clean as well as deploying security personnel for the first time — and reiterated: “We continue to urge the public and all parties to remain calm, exercise restraint and engage each other in peaceful, constructive dialogue.”

Below is the statement in full (updated):

Pink Dot welcomes the Police’s advisory related to Pink Dot 2014, which is set to take place on Saturday, June 28, 2014, at Speakers’ Corner at Hong Lim Park. Pink Dot strives to be an all-inclusive event that celebrates diversity and the freedom to love in a peaceful, positive manner. Over the past five years, we have endeavoured to stay within the law, and acceded to the rules and regulations of the Speakers’ Corner, without incident. This year’s event will be no different.

We have taken all measures to ensure a good event experience for our participants and community partners. These include deploying over a hundred volunteers to manage crowds and help to keep the park clean; first aid teams and doctors are on standby; and for the first time, security personnel will be deployed to assist our crews with crowd control and to manage any unruly behaviour taking place at the park.

We are particularly mindful of park rules and regulations related to the issues of race and religion, and as a secular event that embraces all Singaporeans we continue to urge the public and all parties to remain calm, exercise restraint and engage each other in peaceful, constructive dialogue. We are also happy to continue working with the relevant authorities to ensure the safety of our participants, as we have over previous years Pink Dot has taken place.

Nonetheless, Pink Dot remains an event that welcomes one and all to share in our common love for one another, and our common love for Singapore. We invite all Singaporeans who support the Freedom to Love to join us in a peaceful expression of inclusivity, meet with community groups that are doing their part to support Singapore’s LGBT community, listen to members of the community voice their thoughts on a range of topics, and enjoy a concert by our local talents. Ultimately, our aim is to come together once the sun sets, to form a shimmering, giant pink dot - a symbol of love and inclusivity in Singapore.

Update: The Pink Dot Organising Committee has released an updated press release, replacing “non-confrontational” with “positive” in the first paragraph of the statement. The story has been updated to reflect this at 10.12pm, June 26.