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Toronto Pride parade cancelled after disruption by pro-Palestinian protesters

Posted on by angelo

The 2024 Toronto Pride Parade on June 30, 2024. (Screenshot via Johnny Strides/YouTube)

Organizers of Toronto’s Pride parade cancelled the annual event on June 30 after a group of pro-Palestinian protesters disrupted it.

According to media reports, more than two dozen protesters blocked the parade near the intersection of Yonge and Wellesley streets, chanting “from the river to the sea” and “pride was a riot.”

The Toronto Star reported that protesters disrupted the parade around 5:30 p.m., more than three hours after it began. About 45 minutes later, Toronto Pride announced the parade was canceled.

“Today, we have made the decision to cancel the remainder of the Pride Parade due to our commitment to public safety,” they said in a statement. “While we deeply respect and defend everyone’s right to peaceful protest, our top priority is the well-being of all participants and spectators.”

“We recognize that the Pride Parade is a highly anticipated event that many organizations and individuals eagerly prepare for,” he added. “We sympathize with those who have been looking forward to participating and regret any inconvenience this decision may cause.”

The Coalition Against Pinkwashing organized the protest.

Protesters disrupt New York Pride march

This year’s Pride Month came eight months after Hamas launched its surprise attack on southern Israel.

The Israeli government says Hamas militants killed about 1,200 people on October 7, 2023, including at least 260 revelers and others at the Nova music festival. The Israeli government says more than 80 people taken hostage on October 7 are still alive in the Gaza Strip.

The Hamas-controlled Gaza Health Ministry says more than 35,000 people have died in the enclave since the war began. The National LGBTQ Task Force and Outright International are among the groups that have called for a ceasefire.

The New York Daily News reported that New York police arrested 10 pro-Palestinian protesters on Sunday who disrupted the city’s annual Pride march near the Stonewall Inn. The newspaper said those arrested by New York police, among other things, threw red paint at a van inside police barriers.

The Telegraph reported on Saturday that London police arrested more than 30 pro-Palestinian activists to prevent them from disrupting the city’s annual Pride parade that was taking place the same day.

A Wider Bridge, a group that “stands for justice, fights LGBTQphobia, and combats anti-Semitism and other forms of hate,” last month called on Pride organizers to ensure that Jews can safely participate in their events.

The National LGBT Media Association represents 13 legacy publications in major markets across the country, with a collective readership of more than 400,000 in print and more than 1 million online. Learn more here: National LGBT Media Association.