Arrests were reported in the Canadian cities of Ottawa, Halifax, Vancouver and Victoria, among others, on Sept. 20 as opposing groups clashed on how schools address issues of gender identity and how teachers refer to transgender youth, according to CBC.
In Victoria, police advised people to avoid the British Columbia legislature amid protests they said had become "unsafe" and which resulted in at least two arrests. Ottawa police said two people were arrested for "inciting hatred" by "displaying hateful material" during a protest in the capital. And in Calgary, police said more than 1,000 people were involved in protests and a fraction of that in related counterprotests.
The One Million March for Children organized the multi-city protest, The Toronto Star reported.
Some parents and conservative groups are protesting LGBTQ+-inclusive education policies in the classroom and in extracurricular settings. As a result, policies are emerging across the country that require young people to get parental consent before teachers can use their preferred first names and pronouns are at the heart of these protests. However, pro-LGBTQ+ critics say the policies violate children's rights and teachers should not out transgender youth to their parents.
Ottawa Mayor Mark Sutcliffe posted on X (formerly Twitter) his support for LGBTQ+ children, saying the protests "will only cause harm to youth who are looking for our support and acceptance." In Ottawa, thousands of people faced off in front of Parliament Hill and NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh led a group of counter-protesters down Wellington Street.
Vancouver Mayor Ken Sim also issued a statement expressing solidarity with the LGBTQ+ community and decrying discrimination.
Windy City Times noticed that the battles prompted Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to post on X, "Let me make one thing very clear: Transphobia, homophobia, and biphobia have no place in this country. We strongly condemn this hate and its manifestations, and we stand united in support of 2SLGBTQI+ Canadians across the countryyou are valid and you are valued."
Andrew Davis