‘Hate will not be tolerated’, Mayor warns in advance of protesters set to gather at Kitchener City Hall
Posted Sep 20, 2024 06:03:30 AM.
Last Updated Sep 20, 2024 04:16:16 PM.
Protesters and counter-protesters gathered at Kitchener City Hall Friday with very different views on what is best for Canada’s children, and the mayors of Kitchener and Waterloo are taking a stand.
This year’s ‘1 Million March for Children’ event takes place Friday in major cities all across the country, including at Kitchener city hall.
The event is described by the Campaign Life Coalition as being “against LGBT indoctrination in our schools,” with goals that include resistance to gender ideologies, or ideas of gender identity, and what the coalition calls “explicit sexual content”.
Dozens of counter protestors, part of the ‘1 Million Voices for Inclusion’, took to the square with signs reading “hate is not welcome here.”
Acer Bonipart, the media liaison for Queer Youth Defence, said the impact of the counter protest has not been affected despite seeing a smaller turnout.
“I think that people are just getting tired of having to come out and say the same thing,” said Bonipart.
Last year’s rally saw hundreds of people take to Carl Zehr Square for the inaugural ‘1 Million March for Children’ compared to the dozens seen today.
Kitchener Mayor Berry Vrbanovic sent out a statement, Thursday, saying, “I am reminding our community that we must be vigilant to denounce any hate speech or targeting of marginalized groups.”
“Kitchener City Council stands by our 2SLGBTQIA+ community members, especially youth who may be strongly impacted by these demonstrations,” added Vrbanovic. “No member of our community should ever feel targeted because of their gender identity or sexual orientation, race, religion, nationality, age or background.”
The statement ends with, “To residents, staff, City Hall tenants and visitors who identify as 2SLGBTQIA+, we support you and you are always welcome in Kitchener.”
Vrbanovic says the city has no power to stop a protest, but security guards and police officers will be on scene to keep everyone safe.
Mayor Dorothy McCabe says in her statement, “As Mayor and Council of the City of Waterloo, we unequivocally support our 2SLGBTQIA+ community members of all ages.”
She recognizes the right to protest, adding, “The City of Waterloo is a place where anti-2SLGBTQIA+ messages and other forms of hate will not be tolerated. Protesting is never an excuse for hate-filled symbols, words or actions.”
She writes, “The Waterloo we’re building is a city where everyone, regardless of your sexual orientation, race, religion or place of origin, feels welcome and valued as your true selves and that you belong.”
