Black Lives Matter activists are prone to hijacking the spotlight to showcase their own demands, which they did Sunday at the Toronto Pride parade, Heatstreet reported.
The protesters had been invited as “honored guests,” but used their presence at the parade to “shut it down” during their nearly 30-minute sit-in. During that time, they took control of the festivities and would not let the parade resume until their demands were met. Future parades look to be in the group’s control as well, as they called for an end to police participation.
Apparently to some, our demands are “too radical/divisive.” Look for yourselves fam #BlackPride pic.twitter.com/NxfaMnYUaf
— BlackLivesMatter TO (@BLM_TO) July 4, 2016
The group celebrated the disruption on Twitter.
We shut it down. We won. #blackpride pic.twitter.com/KH6YH6Ai4W
— BlackLivesMatter TO (@BLM_TO) July 3, 2016
According to the group’s co-founder, Alexandra Williams, they wanted to hold Pride Toronto accountable for their “anti-blackness.”
Pride Toronto Executive Director Mathieu Chantelois agreed with the demands immediately, but said he only did so to get the parade moving.
With Chantelois’s motivation and alienation of other groups, including those in the LGBT community and police officers, it’s worth wondering if the group’s tactics did more help or harm. CBC News has raised and discussed this question.
Following their tactics, the group says they received hate mail. “This type of push back, this type of backlash, it means that we’ve struck a nerve,” Janaya Khan, another co-founder of the group, said.
The group and their tactics have been criticized by the media. The Globe and Mail published Margaret Wente’s “The bullies of Black Lives Matter,” later reposted by Hot Air, which noted that the Toronto police chief is black.
An editorial from The Toronto Star suggests that “Black Lives Matter should think twice about making outsiders of allies.”
Through their Twitter account, Black Lives Matter Toronto continued to decry those against them.
The community & allies supported our actions. 2 those who felt inconvenienced, be better. @PrideToronto needs 2 be better. #blackpride
— BlackLivesMatter TO (@BLM_TO) July 4, 2016
2 those who yelled at us & threw bottles at us – we see you & your anti-blackness. There’s no pride in racism. #blackpride
— BlackLivesMatter TO (@BLM_TO) July 4, 2016
The @torontostar shld think 2ce b4 determining who our allies are. Are u serious, rn? Allies ovr community? Never. pic.twitter.com/PjsH3eyEM0
— BlackLivesMatter TO (@BLM_TO) July 6, 2016
This is not the first time Black Lives Matter activists have taken over LGBT events they’ve been invited to join. Those from the University of Missouri did so last month at a vigil for the Orlando terrorist attack victims.
Khan has also made appearances in the United States, including at Coastal Carolina University, after the university thought it fit to provide her a platform as a way to honor civil rights leader Ella Baker. The CCU Conservatives protested her speaking, demonstrating a truly peaceful and respectful protest.
