A mural commemorating queer Sydney has been removed from Surry Hills Police Station just days after its installation.
NSW Police has not revealed the cause for the removal, though two sources told the ABC that an officer had complained about the artwork.
A NSW Police spokesperson said, “While we acknowledge that art is subjective and can generate discussion and debate, we need to ensure all officers are able to work in a professional and inclusive office.”
The mural, titled Queer Sydney: A History, was created by Sydney artist and UNSW PhD candidate Jeremy Smith.
Surry Hills police invited Smith to install the mural in their muster room. Days later, it was removed.
Smith created the mural as a “love letter to queer Sydney”, and showcased various LGBTQIA+ icons such as author Benjamin Law, drag performer Courtney Act, and actor Magda Szubanski.
The mural also contained nods to Aboriginal custodians and aspects of Sydney’s queer history including conflict with police.
Smith discussed the removal in a post to Instagram.
He agreed “cautiously at first” to exhibit the mural in the police station because he believed “art can build bridges where there has been hurt and misunderstanding”, highlighting the station’s place in the heart of Sydney’s “gaybourhood” close to Oxford Street.
Smith explained that while he is disappointed in the removal, he accepts the decision and is proud of the conversations it has prompted.
The removal has added to the conversation about issues between queer Australians and the NSW Police.
After an officer allegedly murdered queer couple Jesse Baird and Luke Davies last year, NSW Police were temporarily disinvited from marching at Mardi Gras. They were eventually reinvited with some stipulations.
Last October, a former NSW Police officer, nicknamed Peter for anonymity, reported his experience as a gay police officer in the 2000s and 2010s to the ABC. He described bullying, assault, and derogatory remarks even by high-up officials during Sydney’s 2023 WorldPride celebrations.
Peter’s allegations and those of other officers about homophobia, sexism, bullying and more prompted then-NSW Police Commissioner Karen Webb to open a formal review of the organisation’s culture in October last year. A year later, the review is still underway.
Smith’s mural is now being displayed at Qtopia Sydney and Surry Hills police are currently in conversation with Smith to create and install a new artwork in their station.