It appears the group that pushed for and largely succeeded in keeping police out of the Toronto Pride Parade won’t be marching there this year either.
Pride Toronto says that the final deadline for groups to register to march in this year’s parade was May 30, and Black Lives Matter did not reach out to indicate that they wished to attend.
Last year, members of Black Lives Matter- Toronto staged a sit-in during the parade, near Yonge and College streets, and refused to move unless then-Pride executive director Mathieu Chantelois signed a list of their demands.
One of the demands was that Pride exclude police from running floats in future parades.
Chantelois signed the list and the parade carried on. In 2016, Pride invited Black Lives Matter to march in the parade as honoured guests.
Last month, Pride Toronto issued a statement saying police could only march in the 2017 parade, scheduled for June 25, if they did so in civilian clothing, without vehicles or visible weapons.
A myriad of groups, including Toronto firefighters and members of Canada’s military have registered to march in the parade.
