A mural celebrating Sydney’s queer history has been removed from Surry Hills Police Station just days after it was installed. The artwork, titled Queer Sydney: A History, was created by artist and researcher Jeremy Smith and depicted significant moments and figures in Sydney’s LGBTQ+ past, including icons like Magda Szubanski, Courtney Act, and former High Court justice Michael Kirby, alongside references to pivotal events such as the first Mardi Gras, the HIV/AIDS epidemic, and the legalisation of marriage equality.
The piece also portrayed scenes from liberation-era protests, featuring a banner demanding an end to police violence against marginalised groups, a historical nod to Sydney’s nicknames like Sodom of the south, and an unapologetic commemoration of queer resilience. Smith, whose work often maps queer memory, described the mural as a ‘love letter to queer Sydney’, accepting the police’s invitation with the hope that art might foster dialogue and understanding between the community and the police.
NSW Police declined to specify the reasons behind the mural’s swift removal but emphasised the need for the workplace to remain ‘professional and inclusive’. According to reports from multiple sources, the decision followed a complaint from at least one police officer. A police spokesperson acknowledged that art can be ;subjective’ and may ‘generate discussion and debate’.
Community reaction to the mural’s removal has been one of disappointment and concern. Peter Murphy, who suffered assault by police during the inaugural 1978 Mardi Gras, described the act as ‘another reflection of a bigger pattern,’ cautioning that such decisions might discourage queer-identifying officers within the force. Renowned writer Benjamin Law suggested that opposition to the mural could be rooted in latent homophobia within the police culture, reminding readers of the institution’s troubled history in its dealings with queer communities. Meanwhile, Sydney MP Alex Greenwich emphasised that displaying queer art in police stations serves as an essential reminder of the ongoing work required to build safer and more inclusive communities for all.
Queer Sydney: A History was initially commissioned for the University of Sydney’s Fisher Library, where a large-scale version remains on display, drawing from historian Garry Wotherspoon’s authoritative book Gay Sydney: A History. Smith’s hope was to bring aspects of this complex history into the policing space as a gesture of empathy and reconciliation. However, this incident comes against the backdrop of a fraught relationship between NSW Police and the LGBTQ+ community, particularly after the contentious events surrounding the 2024 Mardi Gras, where officers were first disinvited following the charging of an officer over the deaths of Jesse Baird and Luke Davies, only later permitted to march out of uniform.
The removal of the mural raises broader questions about how institutions engage with community history and whether such gestures of recognition and education help build trust or instead further alienate marginalised groups. The artist expressed pride that the mural had initiated critical conversations despite its brief tenure in the police station, highlighting ongoing tensions and the challenges of bridging divides through art amid complex social and political dynamics.
Source: Noah Wire Services
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