The organizers of the city’s annual Pride march are banning law enforcement groups from taking part in their events starting in June. 

NYC Pride announced Saturday that LGBTQ police organizations will be prohibited from participating in Pride events until at least 2025. 

The group also said it will keep New York City Police Department officers at a distance from its march and rely instead on private companies for security.

The decision comes in the midst of a national debate over policing. For years, some participants have complained that the NYPD’s presence has left marginalized groups feeling threatened, and that it was at odds with the spirit of the march, which was borne out of the 1969 anti-police uprising at the Stonewall Inn.

“This announcement follows many months of conversation and discussion with key stakeholders in the community,” NYC Pride co-chair André Thomas said in a statement. “We would like to extend our thanks to the Anti-Violence Project which provided invaluable advice and counsel to help us take these important steps.”

The NYPD’s Gay Officers Action League criticized the decision, calling it “shameful” and “demoralizing.”

“Heritage of Pride is well aware that the city would not allow a large-scale event to occur without police presence,” GOAL’s president Brian Downey said. “So, their response to activist pressure is to take the low road by preventing their fellow community members from celebrating their identities and honoring the shared legacy of the Stonewall Riots.”

The NYPD agreed with GOAL.  

"The idea of officers being excluded is disheartening and runs counter to our shared values of inclusion and tolerance,” the NYPD said in a statement. “That said, we’ll still be there to ensure traffic safety and good order during this huge, complex event.”

The impact of the policy change won’t be entirely felt this year because most of the pride events this June will be held virtually.