Thousands of people advocating for the elimination of sexual orientation and gender identity curriculum in schools, and thousands more counter-protesters defending trans kids’ rights, turned out in cities across Canada on Wednesday to yell at one another.
The 1 Million March 4 Children, organized by the groups Hands Off Our Kids and Family Freedom, made its mark with noisy, raucous protests throughout the land.
In Toronto, they gathered at Queen’s Park. Protesters and counter-protesters took up positions on either side of a large bronze statue behind the legislature, as police on foot, on bicycle, on horseback struggled to keep the two groups separate.
An organizer later identified as Bahira Abdulsalam, a longtime advocate of banning sexual orientation and gender identity curriculum, led the protesters through chants and responses.
“We are Canadians. We have the right to say no. That is our responsibility,” she said, as she urged the crowd to yell no.
They moved on to cries of “Leave our kids alone” and “Hands off our kids.” The protesters chanted louder and louder in response to Abdulsalam.
“The media is covering the other side. We have to be our own media… we must be louder than them,” Abdulsalam told the crowd.
The sound was deafening as each group chanted to drown out the other side.
“Trans kids are under attack,” one counter-protester yelled. “What do we do?” The crowd of counter-protesters answered, “Stand up, fight back,” over and over.
Counter-protesters worked their way around the statue until the two groups were mingling on the edges. One person with a sign that read, “Protect queer youth” managed to climb up the statue’s pedestal among people who attempted to block her. They held purple signs that read PPC, People’s Party of Canada on one side and Leave Our Kids Alone on the other.
Police redoubled their efforts to keep the groups apart, moving officers around to encircle the protesters at the statue. Eight mounted officers, their horses outfitted with riot-squad style visors, stood at the ready on the west side of the park.
The chanting was so loud it was hard to hear the speaker and what anyone in the crowd said. But in at least one little cluster of protesters a thoughtful conversation broke out. Two women, a retired kindergarten teacher and a retired psychotherapist, were talking with a man who held a sign that appeared to support both sides. He declined to speak to the media and left, but the women agreed to talk about their conversation.
“Children should have their childhood,” said the retired kindergarten teacher, who declined to identify herself. “Pronouns [and other decisions connected to gender] are adult decisions.”
“I just wish these protesters were using the word [parental] responsibility, rather than [parental] rights. That’s what this is about.”
The retired psychotherapist, who also declined to identify herself, agreed. “Developmental science is clear. Children’s brains are not developed yet, not until they are 20 and maybe older.”
Developmental science “tells us what children need. [If they are] depressed, [experiencing] gender dysphoria, parents need to be parents. Give them love, get them mental health support.”
‘Convoy 2023’
Many protesters seemed to be motivated by issues beyond the teaching of gender identity. The signs told that story.
There were flags seen at the so-called trucker freedom convoy in Ottawa and at US border crossings last year. The snake that says, Don’t step on me. F**k Trudeau flags with a maple leaf replacing the U. Anti-vaxxer signs. Flyers opposing digital IDs. A Jesus is King flag. Red ball caps with the words, Save Canada.
Some wore orange T-shirts with the message, #Protect the Children. Convoy 2023.
One woman wearing one was Lisa Li, who said she is an anti-vaxxer and had taken part in last year’s convoy protest.
“This country is losing its freedom,” Li said, adding she immigrated to Canada from China 20 years ago and considers Canada a very different country than it was then.
“COVID was an eye-opener for a lot of people. Parents were waking up to what was going on in the schools… There is more censorship. They don’t want people waking up.” Li clarified that by “they” she was referring to governments and the UN.
“Freedom is what brings these groups together. It’s not a conspiracy. It’s really happening,” she said.
