Metro Vancouver transit officer’s rainbow patch TikTok goes viral

A Metro Vancouver Transit Police officer is getting a lot of attention on TikTok this week after defending his rainbow chest police patch against would-be bullies.

Sgt. Julien Ponsioen’s rainbow patch has made frequent appearances on his TikTok and Instagram videos, but this was one of the first times he’s had to address it directly. He says he is used to getting scattered comments, both positive and negative, about the patch, but when critics started popping up on a video he did about facemasks, he felt the need to address them.

“I think the one that kind of, I don’t want to say got to me because it really didn’t, I just kind of rolled my eyes, was somebody saying that my parents were ashamed of me and I thought really you have no idea,” he said. “And to think about a young person who, in those shoes, how would they react if they’re still finding their way in the world?”

In the video, Ponsioen starts by pointing to the ‘Police’ patch on his chest. A rainbow runs horizontally through the letters.

“I’m not ashamed to wear this. I am very proud to wear this. And I feel that I’m very fortunate to be able to build relationships with my community,” he said in the video. “For those of you that think my parents are ashamed, get over yourself. Really. You think your words are gonna bother me? No. But thanks. It just goes to show how bigoted some of you are still out there.”

Ponsioen says he didn’t expect the video to get as much attention as it did. At the time of publishing, the video had more than 160,000 views, 25,100 likes and more than 2,000 comments, most of which were supportive.

“We had a joke that I still had a long ways to catch up to the corporate TikTok that was just put out at 60,000 views,” he laughed, adding unfortunately the video has not yet garnered as many views as him trying out a bald filter on his hairless head.

He says his staff sergeant was the one who brought him the badge around two years ago and asked if he would want to wear it. Ponsioen immediately put it on. He says he has no plan to remove it any time soon and hopes the video inspires kids to stand up to bullies and know they have support.

“If I’m getting bullied and I’m a police officer, I know there’s a lot of kids out there getting cyberbullied and don’t know how to handle it,” he said. “I want to show that I support my community as a police officer and just as a person, and wearing this is just kind of the first step to getting that conversation going.”

Ponsioen acknowledges the disconnect police have historically had with the LGBTQ2S+ community, but say he thinks the only way to work towards healing is to be open about it and wearing the patch may help people in the community feel a little safer around an officer. He says several other members of law enforcement around British Columbia also wear the rainbow patch to show solidarity.

“LGBTQ+ community, I’m part of you and I support you. So thank you for your support,” he said.