Luke Davies’ friend wrote to Mardi Gras board to reverse police decision, contends protesters used his death to further their cause
A friend of flight attendant Luke Davies says anti-police protesters have “hijacked a national tragedy” for their own cause, following a demonstration that shut down a major intersection in Sydney on Friday night.
About 100 people occupied Oxford Street at Taylor Square shouting, “Too many coppers, not enough justice,” before police formed a cordon to push them back.
The night was organised by activist group Pride in Protest, which has long pushed for the ousting of police marchers from the Mardi Gras parade.
Friends of alleged murder victim Luke Davies held a vigil in Brisbane over the weekend, including Dean Bailey, who spoke to 7.30.
“I feel like they’ve almost hijacked a national tragedy just to further a cause they already had,” Mr Bailey said.
“We found it a bit hurtful that they were trying to use Lukey as a reason.”
Mr Bailey revealed he wrote to the Mardi Gras board asking them to reverse its initial decision to uninvite NSW Police officers from marching in Saturday’s parade.
He did not receive a reply.
7.30 understands the board decision to uninvite police was not unanimous.
The board later agreed to allow police to march out of uniform after meeting with NSW Police Commissioner Karen Webb and NSW Police Minister Yasmin Catley.
Mr Bailey said he believed the board’s initial decision was a “knee-jerk reaction to a small vocal group”.
“I said, as someone that knows Lukey, I know that Lukey would not support the decision that Mardi Gras had initially taken,” he said.
“Don’t do it in Luke’s name because you’re tarnishing Luke’s legacy and it’s something Luke wouldn’t have wanted.”
Mr Bailey said he had wanted police to march in uniform but accepted the compromise.
“I don’t have any animosity towards the police. I don’t think one [alleged] bad apple should taint the whole police force,” he said.
Senior Constable Beau Lamarre-Condon has been charged with the murders of Luke Davies and former TV reporter Jesse Baird.
“For the most part the police are out to help us and they are on our side,” Mr Bailey said.
“One [alleged] bad apple shouldn’t tarnish the whole police force because, at the end of the day, it was the police force that worked tirelessly to try and find Lukey and find answers to the questions and get the case wrapped up.”