BLM, Toronto Pride and the police

[MD]

Pride Toronto AGM vote re-affirms Black Lives Matter request for no police floats at parade

Toronto Pride parade has officially banned police floats at their parade, due to protests from BLM. Generally the police have a very friendly and jovial attitude at Pride in Toronto, and have their own LGBT partnerships as well. BLM is pushing for less police involvement and presence at Pride and their demands are being met.

Do you think this confrontation is justified? Why or why not?

Do you think this is a further example of BLM pushing for more division, instead of unity?

Is reducing security at a massive event worth it?

 

[Father Heathen]

They shouldn't have allowed themselves to be bullied into alienating allies.

 

[Neo Deist]

I think BLM are domestic terrorists.

 

[suncowiam]

Makes little sense to me.

 

[Revoltingest]

BLM doesn't appear to like "tolerance" very much.

 

[Quetzal]

I don't understand. So the police can't have a float? I don't understand their reasoning.

 

[Revoltingest]

I don't understand. So the police can't have a float? I don't understand their reasoning.

A cop float would create an unsafe LGBTQXDR space, & trigger SJWPTSD.

 

[Neo Deist]

On a side not, if the police floats are banned, then I say the police officers should boycott the parade. Don't block roads, don't stop traffic. Let the floats act like regular traffic and stop at red lights, wait their turn to proceed through intersections, etc. If the floats block traffic, write them a ticket.

 

[Kilgore Trout]

There are black people in Canada?

 

[Revoltingest]

There are black people in Canada?

I've met both of them.

 

[Father Heathen]

There are black people in Canada?

..And does Canada even have the same issues with law enforcement and inner city demographics?

 

[Kilgore Trout]

..And does Canada even have the same issues with law enforcement and inner city demographics?

To be fair, I don't get the sense that many US BLMers hail from the inner city or have had any particular, personal issues with law enforcement beyond what any average person has.

 

[Monk Of Reason]

BLM has deduced that a patient has a fever. The fever is caused by the flu but they don't care about fixing the flu just about getting rid of the fever.

 

[MD]

..And does Canada even have the same issues with law enforcement and inner city demographics?

Yes but no where near the level the US has. There is a general contempt for police in most inner city neighborhoods I've lived in though.

However, I'd take a narcissistic bullying cop who provides some security over a sociopath any day.

 

[9-10ths_Penguin]

Is reducing security at a massive event worth it?

You do realize they're talking about police floats, not police, right? The same paid-duty cops who are hired for event security will still be there like before (and probably have to be there in order to get permission from the City to hold the event).

 

[MD]

You do realize they're talking about police floats, not police, right? The same paid-duty cops who are hired for event security will still be there like before (and probably have to be there in order to get permission from the City to hold the event).

You do realize that by telling the police they're not welcome creates animosity that can spill into their work?

 

[9-10ths_Penguin]

..And does Canada even have the same issues with law enforcement and inner city demographics?

I'd say it's generally worse in the US, but we do.

It's worth pointing out that last year's BLM Pride protest happened in the middle of a big public controversy over carding, and was during the trial of a police officer over a police shooting on a TTC streetcar (the Sammy Yatim case). Since then, the officer was convicted, but at the time of the protest, it looked very possible that he was going to get off and tensions were running pretty high.

 

[Mister_T]

Do you think this is a further example of BLM pushing for more division, instead of unity?

Absolutely.

 

[9-10ths_Penguin]

You do realize that by telling the police they're not welcome creates animosity that can spill into their work?

I have confidence that the police will behave professionally.

... and if they don't, then maybe BLM has a point.

 

[Quintessence]

I don't understand. So the police can't have a float? I don't understand their reasoning.

I don't get it either. But I can't pretend to know the full context if their particular situation, and thus feel like suspending judgement.