Spontaneous marches after the cancellation of the Montreal Pride parade

Thousands of people began to march spontaneously in the streets of the city center following the cancellation of the Montreal Pride parade announced at the last minute on Sunday morning. Mayor Valérie Plante says she expects “responses” from organizers who say a lack of volunteers is to blame.

Vincent Larin
The Press

At least two groups formed in the streets of Montreal in the afternoon. One of them, led by a truck adorned with “Afro Pride” banners, left Metcalfe Street and headed towards the Village via Saint-Catherine Street.

“Everybody hates the police” and “ Pride is a riot, not a parade chanted the people at the front of the second, larger group, which marched on Sherbrooke and Saint-Laurent streets, among others, after forming spontaneously from Place Émilie-Gamelin.

Hundreds of people had gathered there in the early afternoon, disappointed and angry at the cancellation announced at the last minute of the Montreal Pride parade. Announced Sunday morning shortly after 9 a.m., Pride Montreal pleaded that it lacked about 80 volunteers to ensure the safety of the march, the first to be held in three years due to COVID-19.

“It’s unacceptable, it would have been enough for them to call for volunteers and there would have been so many people who would have volunteered,” denounced William Beaudoin, a disappointed participant who came to demonstrate downtown despite everything.

“It can’t be that a few hours away we say that 80 people are missing when there are private security agencies who can provide double that in half an hour”, complained of his alongside Luc-Alexandre Perron, a long-time parade participant.

Valérie Plante wants a “post-mortem”

The mayoress of Montreal, Valérie Plante, reacted on Sunday expressing her “surprise” and her “dissatisfaction” with the cancellation of the parade.

“What I can assure you is that if we, at the City of Montreal, had been made aware earlier that there was a lack of staff or whatever, we would have put in the necessary energy,” she said at a press briefing in front of the town hall.

“It’s very sad that today we can’t celebrate Montreal, city of inclusion, Montreal, city of diversity,” she added. I’m sure there are thousands of Montrealers who are very disappointed. »

In a tweet posted later, she said she expected “responses and a post-mortem”, while “questions remain around its cancellation at the last minute”. The City of Montreal notably disbursed $600,000 for the organization of the Montreal Pride festival, of which the parade is the flagship event.

A lack of staff

“It’s really a lack of staff that forces us to cancel,” said a spokesperson for Montreal Pride, Nathalie Roy. As for the activities that were to be held as part of the Montreal Pride festival on the esplanade of the Olympic Stadium, they are maintained, including the closing show with Pabllo Vittar, she added.

According to the general manager of Pride Montreal, Simon Gamache, some 80 volunteers were missing Sunday morning in order to be able to block the streets along the route. Until late Saturday, the organization still hoped to be able to mobilize enough resources, he said, well aware that the cancellation at the last minute of this important event sent a bad image.

“All week we had challenges for our events, both downtown and at the Esplanade, but we managed to deliver, so we thought we would be able, but this morning it was very clear that ‘we wouldn’t make it,’ says Simon Gamache.

Political reactions

Several politicians and well-known personalities were to take part in the parade which was to take place on René-Lévesque Boulevard, from Metcalfe Street to Alexandre-DeSève Street, starting at 1 p.m.

The Premier of Quebec, François Legault, reacted by saying that “there is still work to be done to fight against discrimination”. “Let’s keep working on it,” he concluded, on Twitter.

“We cannot imagine the disappointment of the organization. The Pride Parade is a precious moment to continue raising awareness for a more unifying and inclusive society,” wrote the leader of the official opposition, Dominique Anglade, who went there despite everything, to

“I can’t imagine the sadness with which the organization must have made this decision. It is a great disappointment not to be able to come together to celebrate the pride and struggles of the 2SLGBTQIA+ communities, especially after 2 years of absence,” Québec solidaire co-spokesperson Manon Massé said on Sunday.

“Unfortunately, we will not be able to walk this afternoon, but I would like to reiterate the message that the Parti Québécois remains alongside the LGBTQ community. Current events continue to show us that it is still very important to remain vigilant regarding the advances that have been made in the past, and we will continue to be a voice in ensuring the safety and well-being of the community.” , commented for his part the leader of the Parti Québécois, Paul St-Pierre Plamondon.