Black Lives Matter returns with a reminder at Toronto Pride Parade
Pride month in Toronto wrapped up yesterday after an hours long parade made its way down Yonge Street, bringing out thousands of revellers to celebrate.
After halting the parade at Yonge and College last year, Black Lives Matter Toronto joined the proceedings at the same spot near the end of the parade on Sunday and marched with no disruption to the event. Earlier this month representatives had said they wouldn't be marching as a group.
May we never have to remind you #blackpride #PrideTO pic.twitter.com/g0lX6JL8ml
— BlackLivesMatter TO (@BLM_TO) June 25, 2017
"We made an appearance to actually remind folks that Black Queer and Trans people are here, have issues that we want to talk about and address and Black Queer and Trans people are a central and crucial part of Pride," Black Lives Matter Toronto co-founder Rodney Diverlus said to CP24.
Reminding attendees that last week, we witnessed the violence of police anti-Blackness at the inquest into #AndrewLoku s death #PrideTO pic.twitter.com/Q9pmCdWYW5
— BlackLivesMatter TO (@BLM_TO) June 25, 2017
Members of Pride Toronto voted to accept the list of demands Black Lives Matter Toronto presented last year, which included banning uniformed police officers from the parade.
The 2017 Pride festival is more inclusive and accessible because of the actions we took last year #2017Pride #BlackPride pic.twitter.com/4XHExpyQ7k
— BlackLivesMatter TO (@BLM_TO) June 25, 2017
Some members of Toronto Police Services accepted an invitation to march in the New York City Pride parade.
Black queer & trans people started this movement #Pride2017 #PrideTO #BlackPride pic.twitter.com/hnE12UTb7h
— BlackLivesMatter TO (@BLM_TO) June 25, 2017
Yesterday, the Black Lives Matter New York City chapter released a statement calling for the removal of uniform police officers from the NYC parade, among other demands.
"We are here for Pride, just not like this."
— BlackLivesMatterNYC (@BLMNYC) June 25, 2017
Official Statement from #BlackLivesMatter NYC on this Pride Sunday — https://t.co/k31qELDam2
"Let us start off by saying that we stand in full solidarity with our siblings of the Toronto Chapter of #BlackLivesMatter," the letter began.
"We have been inspired by the strategic moves made by the TO team, including the chapters decision to not attend PRIDE this year in order to spotlight the reality of anti-blackness in all areas of society."
