"Sydney Mardi Gras: Honoring Love and Resilience Amid Chaos"
Sydney's annual Mardi Gras parade paid tribute to a gay couple, journalist Jesse Baird and Qantas flight attendant Luke Davies, who were found murdered a week prior. The event included a moment of silence and a collective act of remembrance for the victims, with Qantas honoring Davies on its parade float. The parade's theme, "Our Future," acknowledged the community's progress while reflecting on its complex history of activism and police brutality. The decision to ban uniformed officers from the parade aimed to create a safe space to protest, celebrate, and honor those lost, as the alleged killings were described as "of a domestic nature" and not a "gay-hate crime."