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A Melbourne-based LGBTI rights advocate plans to boo the Liberal Party contingent at this year’s Midsumma Pride March, and has encouraged others to join him.

During last year’s Pride March, Tony Pitman was detained for protesting the Liberals, before being released without charge. At the time, police alleged that Pitman’s behaviour had been threatening to others’ safety and “in breach of the peace”.


The march organisers apologised to Pitman for the incident, and reiterated their support for peaceful protests at the event.

In response, Pitman has announced his intention to use a megaphone to boo the Liberal Party for the entire length of this year’s march.

He posted a video on YouTube outlining his reasons for booing the party, and prepared a list detailing 22 instances of the Liberal Party opposing progression of LGBTI rights over the past 30 years.

The instances included former Prime Minister John Howard’s hard line anti-marriage equality stance, as well as the time former Prime Minister Tony Abbott said he felt “threatened” by homosexuality.

“I just want the Liberal Party to understand that, after everything they’ve done against LGBTI people for so many years, not everyone in the community welcomes them to Pride,” Pitman said.

Pitman has set up a Facebook page entitled ‘Boo the Liberals’, encouraging people join his protest at this year’s Midsumma Pride March on February 3.