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July 17, 2022 • 4 hours ago • 2 minutes reading • 25 comments London Police Headquarters (free press archive photo)
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A “horrible” showdown at a Pride weekend event in London’s Wortley Village has sparked fears that other meetings planned to hold the local LGBTQ + community this week could face similar clashes, according to a witness and activists.
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Next week marks the return of the Pride London Festival face-to-face events, which include concerts at Victoria Park from Friday to Sunday and a parade on Sunday. Saturday’s incident at the Wortley Village Pride event, which coincides with the larger festival but is not formally part of it, has raised alarm, said Jason Plant, who witnessed Saturday’s showdown.
“I always worry as an LGBTQ member that someone can be an extremist, that we’re not sure, that we’re targeted,” Plant said. “I was at the event. They played horns to drown out the music, there was a confrontation, and they called us pedophiles and fots. It was horrible.”
Plant added, “We’re worried. If they’re motivated to come out and slap us in the face, what else can they do? They can interrupt events.”
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On Saturday, around 2:15 p.m., police responded to an emergency call about a major disturbance on Wortley Road and Duchess Avenue at the 2022 Wortley Pride event. In a statement, police said there there was a “great physical altercation” and that a man who “was not part of the parties” was arrested and charged. No other details had been made public until noon on Sunday.
Plant said there were Canadian flags waving from pickup trucks, similar to what many Londoners saw during the “freedom convoy” protests against COVID-19 regulations this winter. Plant said people in the vehicles were shouting obscenities at festival goers.
The event has sparked a security review by Pride London organizers, said Stephen D’Amelio, its vice president.
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“It’s a concern for us, but at the end of the day anyone can interrupt an event. It shows that there are people who still feel empowered to do this,” he said.
Organizers will meet with London police to talk about security and add more private security, D’Amelio said. “There will be a focus on security and safety. We are talking about strategic security and better placement.”
Anova, which offers accommodation and support to battered women, will have staff to attend the Pride Parade on July 24. Its CEO, Jessie Rodger, is also worried about what might happen.
“This shows an escalation. I’m nervous about the Pride parade. It’s been two years since we’ve been able to celebrate and I’m nervous about the safety of the attendees,” Rodger said. “That was a warning and we need to make sure that next weekend’s precautions are taken and that we can celebrate it safely.”
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The investigation continued Sunday and police asked anyone who might have information or a video of the incident to contact them at 519-661-5670 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS.
It’s been a few ugly months in southwestern Ontario when it comes to anti-LGBTQ incidents. In Norwich, a small town south of Woodstock, Pride flags were stolen and a Tillsonburg man, Jake Dey, was charged. Dey then delivered a 30-minute speech at a Norwich town council meeting, during which he compared the Pride movement to Nazi Germany.
About 100 local citizens attended the last town hall meeting, last week, and called for the mayor’s resignation to allow the statements. Mayor Larry Martin has refused to resign.
ndebono@postmedia.com
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