'It's time': Mayor to apologize to London's LGBTQ community

London's mayor is set to issue an apology for discrimination against the city's LGBTQ community more than 20 years after the city refused to proclaim Pride.

In an email sent Thursday, Matt Brown said the apology is "overdue" and praised the "proud leaders" of the Homophile Association of London (HALO) for fighting the injustice. 

"LGBT rights are human rights and our history as a community shows we failed to acknowledge that. As mayor, I believe that London is a city where absolutely everyone should feel welcome, included and respected," said Brown.

In 1995, then-mayor Dianne Haskett refused to proclaim Pride and would not fly the rainbow flag at city hall. Council supported the decision with a 13-5 vote.

• Why London police are welcomed at Pride despite troubled past

Members of HALO went to the Ontario Human Rights Commission, which decided in 1997 that Haskett and the city had discriminated again the LGBTQ community. Both the mayor and the city were fined $5,000.

Fight for justice

"It's time," said David Long, who was among the members of the LGBTQ community who fought against injustice at city hall.

"It's a good thing that it's happening.There were a lot of people who were hurt, very hurt," he said. 

• Meet one of the trailblazers behind London's first pride march

Katu Azzya, who was another advocate at the time, praised the city for the apology. However, he said the painful memories of discrimination against him will forever linger.

"Once you've been a victim several times … it's sometimes really hard to look at the apology and say 'Yes, I believe you,' when you've went through so much," said Azzya.

"I'm thankful this might spark a conversation and I hope people will think about it."

The official apology will happen on the steps of city hall Friday, January 12 at 11 am.