The protestors refused to move until Toronto Pride organizers agreed to the demands put together by Queers for Palestine
A decision was made to cancel Toronto’s Pride Parade mid-route on Sunday evening after a group of 30 anti-Israel protesters forced the event to a 20-minute standstill, Pride Toronto Executive Director Kojo Modeste told the National Post.
The protestors refused to move until Toronto Pride organizers agreed to the various groups’ six demands, which included that the event’s organizers divest from corporations with ties to Israel. Modeste said the protesters stressed that there was no room for negotiation.
“I approached the protesters with the council of elders that was specifically selected to help with any negotiation that needed to happen if there was any disruption, said Modeste. “They made it very clear to us that there was no room for negotiation, that we either sign off on the six demands or they would not be leaving.”
Despite the Toronto Pride Parade being the largest of its kind in Canada, and the second largest in the world, according to Modeste, the 30 protesters managed to stop the remainder of the parade. Modeste claims doing so was necessary for the safety of the protesters and parade attendees.
“At that point in time, public safety trumps everything, and I could not have people standing or sitting in the sun. There were also vehicles that were in the way. And this is when the decision was made,” said Modeste.
“Yes, it was 30 people, but these are 30 lives. We wanted to make sure that the protesters were safe, but we also (prioritized) all of the parade participants, all of the tens of thousands of people that were waiting to see the parade.”
“Toronto Police worked with Pride Toronto in preparation for this weekend. They communicated to TPS prior to Sunday that they did not want officers to intervene if protestors disrupted the parade. We respected their request,” Toronto Police spokesperson Stephanie Sayer told the National Post over email.
“The decision to cancel the event was made solely by Pride Toronto,” said Sayer.
Sayer says there were no arrests or incidents of violence during the demonstration. The protesters left Yonge Street about two hours after the parade was shut down and marched west along Wellesley Street on the sidewalk, reported the Toronto Star.
In 2016, Black Lives Matter forced Toronto Pride to a standstill when it stopped its parade float in protest. The festivities continued after Toronto Pride organizers agreed to their list of demands in about 30 minutes. However, this year, protesters did not reach an agreement.
“For many newcomers, this was their first Pride. Individuals that are coming from smaller cities and communities to Toronto to be their authentic selves for the weekend–and that right was denied. This should not be the case” Modeste said.
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