The Fort McMurray protest dwarfed previous rallies in opposition to COVID-19 restrictions locally.
Article content material
A whole bunch of individuals marched via downtown Fort McMurray to protest how intercourse and gender are taught in lecture rooms. Protesters spent a lot of Wednesday carrying indicators and shouting slogans in opposition to different pronouns in faculties, in addition to sexual orientation and gender identification (SOGI) training.
Commercial 2
Article content material
Dozens of comparable rallies occurred throughout Canada in cities and cities underneath the banner “1 Million March 4 Kids.” Kids on the protest got hardhats that mentioned “palms off our youngsters” and inspired to yell “go away us alone!”
Article content material
The Fort McMurray protest was bigger than most previous rallies in opposition to COVID-19 restrictions. Roughly half of the protesters have been Muslim. Catholics, Christians of varied denominations, Hindus and individuals who weren’t spiritual joined them.
The native protest was led by Zulkifl Mujahid, who ran domestically as an Impartial candidate within the Could 2023 election after he was eliminated as a candidate by the UCP, and resident Connie Shields. Councillor Shafiq Dogar was the one elected official on the protest.
Commercial 3
Article content material
“It is a nice neighborhood, Canada is a good nation however we wish to protect our values and our values which is predicated on our religion and in addition our tradition,” mentioned Dogar, who added he didn’t imagine anybody can be upset along with his participation within the rally.
Shields denied the motion was bigoted in the direction of the 2SLGBTQI+ neighborhood and mentioned two of her kids are a part of the neighborhood. Mujahid mentioned the protesters’ ideas are summarized as “they don’t need sexual orientation in faculties. That’s it. Interval. We don’t need sexual orientation in faculties.”
No confrontations between protesters, counter protesters
Protesters began on the Jubilee Centre, marched in the direction of the Fort McMurray Public Faculty Division (FMPSD) on Hardin Avenue than the Fort McMurray Catholic Faculty Division (FMCSD) on Most important Avenue. Mujahid and Wooden Buffalo RCMP stopped protesters from getting into the FMPSD constructing as kids opened the entrance doorways and screamed “go away us alone!” FMCSD locked their doorways when protesters arrived.
Commercial 4
Article content material
There have been no violent clashes with defenders of 2SLGBTQI+ training. Satisfaction YMM, which advocates for the 2SLGBTQI+ in Fort McMurray Wooden Buffalo, mentioned in an announcement they deliberately didn’t arrange counter protests. They feared this could put members in danger, but in addition felt it might draw consideration to the protesters and encourage college students to overlook college.
“Each queer neighborhood member within the RMWB deserves to be uplifted, to not be the goal of hate and a stigmatizing misinformation marketing campaign,” they mentioned.
“Each pupil deserves the best to be taught in secure lecture rooms the place their names and pronouns are revered, the place they’ve equal entry to make use of a secure lavatory, the place they’re free to be their genuine selves with out worry of discrimination or hurt, and the place queer and trans college students are by no means outed with out their consent.”
Commercial 5
Article content material
Nonetheless, two counter protesters arrived on the rally. Messages supporting the 2SLGBTQI+ neighborhood have been written in chalk outdoors the Jubilee Centre.
Kg Banjoko tried drowning out the protesters with music from bluetooth speaker and shouted slogans like “hate doesn’t come from God!” Kids and protesters shouted again “go away us alone!” and “palms off our youngsters!”
One other man waved a Satisfaction flag whereas some protesters screamed at him to depart. Just a few individuals driving by gave protesters a center finger. However the sounds of horns honking in assist of the rally echoed throughout downtown.
When protesters returned to the Jubilee Centre, a bunch of kids cheered as they approached a chalk drawing of the Progress Satisfaction Flag and threw water and water bottles at it, spat on it, and threw grime and rocks at it. One lady informed the youngsters to not litter or trample on the flowers.
In any other case, nobody stopped them.
Get the information in your inbox each Friday morning by signing up for our publication.
Commercial 6
Article content material
-
Zulkifl Mujahid and Connie Shields lead protesters outdoors the Jubilee Centre in the course of the 1 Million March 4 Kids on September 20, 2023. Vincent McDermott/Fort McMurray In the present day/Postmedia Community
-
Protesters outdoors the Jubilee Centre in the course of the 1 Million March 4 Kids on September 20, 2023. Vincent McDermott/Fort McMurray In the present day/Postmedia Community
-
Kg Bankjoko protests in opposition to the 1 Million March 4 Kids outdoors the Jubilee Centre on September 20, 2023. Vincent McDermott/Fort McMurray In the present day/Postmedia Community
-
A person protests in opposition to the 1 Million March 4 Kids outdoors the Jubilee Centre on September 20, 2023. Vincent McDermott/Fort McMurray In the present day/Postmedia Community
-
Protesters march via downtown Fort McMurray within the 1 Million March 4 Kids on September 20, 2023. Vincent McDermott/Fort McMurray In the present day/Postmedia Community
-
Protesters collect outdoors the Fort McMurray Public Faculty Division in the course of the 1 Million March 4 Kids on September 20, 2023. Vincent McDermott/Fort McMurray In the present day/Postmedia Community
-
Kids scream “go away us alone!” into the Fort McMurray Catholic Faculty Division in the course of the 1 Million March 4 Kids on September 20, 2023. Vincent McDermott/Fort McMurray In the present day/Postmedia Community
-
Protesters outdoors the Fort McMurray Catholic Faculty Division in the course of the 1 Million March 4 Kids on September 20, 2023. Vincent McDermott/Fort McMurray In the present day/Postmedia Community
-
Law enforcement officials cease protesters from getting into the Fort McMurray Public Faculty Division in the course of the 1 Million March 4 Kids on September 20, 2023. Vincent McDermott/Fort McMurray In the present day/Postmedia Community
-
Law enforcement officials cease protesters from getting into the Fort McMurray Public Faculty Division in the course of the 1 Million March 4 Kids on September 20, 2023. Vincent McDermott/Fort McMurray In the present day/Postmedia Community
-
Protesters in the course of the 1 Million March 4 Kids on September 20, 2023. Vincent McDermott/Fort McMurray In the present day/Postmedia Community
-
A baby dumps water on a chalk drawing of the Progress Satisfaction Flag outdoors the Jubilee Centre in the course of the 1 Million March 4 Kids on September 20, 2023. Vincent McDermott/Fort McMurray In the present day/Postmedia Community
-
A baby spits at a chalk drawing of the Progress Satisfaction Flag outdoors the Jubilee Centre in the course of the 1 Million March 4 Kids on September 20, 2023. Vincent McDermott/Fort McMurray In the present day/Postmedia Community
-
A baby throws rocks and dust at a chalk drawing of the Progress Satisfaction Flag outdoors the Jubilee Centre in the course of the 1 Million March 4 Kids on September 20, 2023. Vincent McDermott/Fort McMurray In the present day/Postmedia Community
All 14 Pictures for Gallery
Perform Not Out there
Full Display isn’t supported on this browser model.
You might use a unique browser or system to view this in full display.
Feedback
Postmedia is dedicated to sustaining a energetic however civil discussion board for dialogue and encourage all readers to share their views on our articles. Feedback could take as much as an hour for moderation earlier than showing on the positioning. We ask you to maintain your feedback related and respectful. Now we have enabled e-mail notifications—you’ll now obtain an e-mail if you happen to obtain a reply to your remark, there may be an replace to a remark thread you observe or if a consumer you observe feedback. Go to our Group Tips for extra info and particulars on tips on how to alter your e-mail settings.
Be part of the Dialog