Toronto Pride Protest

This weekend, at the Toronto Pride Parade, Black Lives Matter staged a peaceful sit-in, blocking the path of the parade until the organiser spoke with their representative, which he did.

They asked for continued commitment to POC groups in Pride events, better funding for the same, reinstatement of several POC stages/community events, better representation for POC within Pride staffing/hiring, funding for ASL interpreters for events (including POC), a public townhall organized in conjunction with marginalized communities, and the removal of all police floats/booths in all Pride events.

The organizer agreed to these and the parade went on.

But one thing bothers me: the demand to exclude all police floats/booths at Pride events. I agree that better funding and representation for marginalized groups is a legitimate request, but to exclude a whole group? I know that there has been tension between law enforcement and POC - especially queer POC - but is demanding that they are removed from all Pride events really the answer?

This is why I have zero respect for the BLM movement. Frankly I wish they had all been jailed and any charges that could be were tossed at them. Who do they think they are hijacking events like this? Who do they think they are demanding anything of any one and refusing to let people have an event unless their demands are met. Sickening.

MadHatter wrote: This is why I have zero respect for the BLM movement. Frankly I wish they had all been jailed and any charges that could be were tossed at them. Who do they think they are hijacking events like this? Who do they think they are demanding anything of any one and refusing to let people have an event unless their demands are met. Sickening.

I disagree. I think they're quite justified in their desire to have better representation for marginalized groups. They're not advocating just for those of African descent, but also the Asian, indigenous, and handicapped communities. And they feel they have thus far not been heard, so they took more extreme (but still peaceful) action.

It's just the banning of police groups from Pride events that I'm concerned about. Despite the difficulties law enforcement has traditionally had with POC, they have a right to celebrate Pride as well. In fact, I can only imagine how difficult it is to be out when you work in a "macho" field like law enforcement or the military. LGBT cops deserve support and celebration, too.

Sort of misses its intended target doesn't it? Over here in the Sydney pride event the 'Mardi Gras' they have had Police participating in the parade in uniform, so while obviously the demands are unrelated to the event, I don't think leaning on another minority group to leverage organizational and cultural change in their particular workplace is going to be particularly effective. Sounds a bit like attention seeking behaviour to me. But maybe there is an angle I have not considered which would make it seem more reasonable?

I'm proud of them for having a peaceful protest. People should speak out like this when they feel their rights are being violated. I do, however, disagree with the exclusion of police. The real problem is the few bad eggs that haven't been filtered out of the force, and realizing that will help them grow and maybe earn the respect of some of their naysayers.

Who do they think they are hijacking events like this? Who do they think they are demanding anything of any one and refusing to let people have an event unless their demands are met.

Maybe they are human beings who are being murdered because of the color of their skin.

Miss_Leah wrote: I disagree. I think they're quite justified in their desire to have better representation for marginalized groups. They're not advocating just for those of African descent, but also the Asian, indigenous, and handicapped communities. And they feel they have thus far not been heard, so they took more extreme (but still peaceful) action.

I get your view point. I get some of the grievances. However harassing and bullying people that have nothing to do with their issues is not going to garner my respect for their actions. You can protest without holding people hostage and disrupting their events. Especially when the people you are bullying have nothing to do with the issues at hand.

Snowy Aftermath wrote: I'm proud of them for having a peaceful protest. People should speak out like this when they feel their rights are being violated. I do, however, disagree with the exclusion of police. The real problem is the few bad eggs that haven't been filtered out of the force, and realizing that will help them grow and maybe earn the respect of some of their naysayers.

Who do they think they are hijacking events like this? Who do they think they are demanding anything of any one and refusing to let people have an event unless their demands are met.

Maybe they are human beings who are being murdered because of the color of their skin.

Ok and? The people they are bullying and harassing didnt do that. The LGBT community didnt do those things but lets hijack their events and bully them to demand they bend to what our demands are. No that is not ok. If they want consideration and respect then show it to other people especially other marginalized groups.

MadHatter wrote: Ok and? The people they are bullying and harassing didnt do that. The LGBT community didnt do those things but lets hijack their events and bully them to demand they bend to what our demands are. No that is not ok. If they want consideration and respect then show it to other people especially other marginalized groups.

Nobody is being bullied here, and to think so is to blow it out of proportion. They slowed down a parade. Nobody was injured, not even emotionally. What these people did was get attention to their cause in whatever way was available, which is an appropriate considering what is at stake.

Put yourself in their shoes. If your child was at risk of being murdered by an out of control police force, wouldn't you do whatever you had to?

Snowy Aftermath wrote:

MadHatter wrote: Ok and? The people they are bullying and harassing didnt do that. The LGBT community didnt do those things but lets hijack their events and bully them to demand they bend to what our demands are. No that is not ok. If they want consideration and respect then show it to other people especially other marginalized groups.

Nobody is being bullied here, and to think so is to blow it out of proportion. They slowed down a parade. Nobody was injured, not even emotionally. What these people did was get attention to their cause in whatever way was available, which is an appropriate considering what is at stake.

Put yourself in their shoes. If your child was at risk of being murdered by an out of control police force, wouldn't you do whatever you had to?

No I wouldn't bully others and hijack their event I would be going to the people that caused the issues. I mean it's not like lgbt community faces violence right? So that makes it cool to hijack events like this or the memorial for those hurt and killed at Pulse right? No sorry but when they disrupt people's events and bully others into agreeing to things rather then speaking to them like people I take issue with it. They want a civility and curtesy that they do not show others so my willingness to give them slack is gone.


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Black Lives Matter is about more than the sentiment that black lives matter, and it is perfectly reasonable to stand for egalitarianism without supporting the specific movement Black Lives Matter. I do not think that an organization which promotes a good idea deserves a free pass or any special treatment. I don't respect organizations associated with sex traffickers . I don't respect organizations which encourage starting riots . I don't respect organizations which disrespect the world around them for whatever reason. What they did was wrong. They insisted that someone else comply with their will.

No one has the right to exert their will over another person like that. This is incredibly rude and disrespectful. Not only to the parade members that they interrupted, but to the police as well. I understand that there's a lot of hatred of the police out there. And yeah, some cops are bad and do terrible things. But the police are not our enemy, and to think of them as our enemies doesn't solve any problems.

I honestly don't know why any decent person would interrupt another person's celebration in order to make demands of them to discriminate against a group of people. That's not okay.

MadHatter wrote:
No I wouldn't bully others and hijack their event I would be going to the people that caused the issues. I mean it's not like lgbt community faces violence right? So that makes it cool to hijack events like this or the memorial for those hurt and killed at Pulse right? No sorry but when they disrupt people's events and bully others into agreeing to things rather then speaking to them like people I take issue with it. They want a civility and curtesy that they do not show others so my willingness to give them slack is gone.

Okay, you can't even try to see the other side, so I'll be the one to let it go. Again.

There is value in learning to see the desperate positions of those you oppose, Madhatter. Everyone thinks they are the good guy in the story. All I ask is that you try to see the fear that motivated these people to do this thing and why they thought it was worth it.