Anti-Israel
PRO PALESTINE protesters force premature end to Toronto Pride Parade
Demonstrators hold up march for 45 minutes until organizers cancel event, citing public safety; police say they could have dealt with protest, but organizers said not to interfere
Anti-Israel, pro-Palestinian protesters blocked the route of the Toronto Pride Parade, billed as Canada’s largest, forcing organizers to cancel the annual event on Sunday.
According to The Toronto Star daily, around 30 protesters from the Coalition Against Pinkwashing group started blocking marchers three-and-a-half hours after the pride event began, holding banners reading “Pride partners with genocide,” and waving Palestinian flags.
Pinkwashing is a term used by those who claim Israel highlights its liberal, tolerant attitude toward LGBTQ individuals to direct attention away from its alleged mistreatment of Palestinians. Supporters of Israel note that any LGBTQ expression is criminalized in Gaza and the West Bank.
Demonstrators chanted, “Resistance is justified when people are occupied,” and “From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free.” The latter slogan is understood by many to be calling for the elimination of the State of Israel.
A pamphlet handed out by the group listed six demands, including that parade organizers divest from corporations that are allegedly “actively involved in violently exploiting native people.”
Pride Toronto, the parade organizer, canceled the event 45 minutes after being blocked, citing its “commitment to ensure public safety.” Police said they had “adequate resources to address the protest,” but adhered to the request by the organizers not to get involved, police spokesperson Laurie McCann told The Star.
“While we deeply respect and uphold everyone’s right to peacefully protest, our foremost priority is the well-being of all participants and spectators,” Pride Toronto’s statement read.
Faisal Samir, one of the activists, told The Star that organizers said they would “think about” their demands.
It is not the first time that pro-Palestinian, anti-Israel activists have disrupted a pride event in North America this year.
Earlier this week, a dozen demonstrators temporarily halted the New York City Pride March by blocking traffic for 30 minutes, before police dispersed them. The NYPD later said 10 were arrested.
Pro-Palestinian activists also disrupted pride parades earlier in June in Boston, Denver and Philadelphia.
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