Pride celebrations originally stemmed from anti-police protests. Therefore, police presence should be limited at pride celebrations like Capital Pride and replaced with community-based safety groups out of respect for the well-being of all attendees.
Ottawa celebrates Capital Pride in late August to commemorate the “We Demand” rally, the first gathering of the 2SLGBTQIA+ community on Parliament Hill in 1971. This anniversary represents the important sentiment of challenging deep-rooted systemic oppression, which is continuously enforced by police institutions.
The queer community has consistently shown a distrust of law enforcement. A review in Toronto found that 71 per cent of 2SLGBTQIA+ people polled had little to no confidence in the police.. If attendees of these rallies have no confidence in the ability of law enforcement to keep them safe, why should organizers and cities still continue to entrust police to provide security?
Ottawa has joined the ranks of cities like Toronto and Victoria in limiting the capacity of law enforcement at pride events. In these cities, uniformed officers are prohibited from marching in the parade or having their own floats. Officers do remain at these events though, representing the security interests of their municipalities.
Capital Pride is for all members of the queer community and its allies. People of all races, sexual orientations and identities deserve to feel comfortable at the event. For queer BIPOC attendees, a police presence at Pride could be discomforting. BIPOC individuals should not have to be reminded of the ongoing brutality and racial profiling members of their communities continue to face.
Indigenous people made up one-third of victims of fatal RCMP shootings, according to the Yellowhead Institute. Additionally, the Ontario Human Rights Commission determined that a Black person is 20 times more likely to be shot and killed by the police compared to a white person.
Instead of relying on the police for security, more responsibility should be given to community-based safety groups at Capital Pride. While organizers have made steps in the right direction, such as hiring community marshals and private security, there is still more that can be done.
When celebrating Pride, it is important to remember its origins of resistance. With history kept in mind, Capital Pride should consult with members of the 2SLGBTQIA+ and BIPOC communities to determine whether the Ottawa Police’s presence at Capital Pride in a security capacity should continue at all.
Feature graphic from file.
