OTTAWA — An explosion of hate and a tirade of misinformation about LGBTQ rights has advocates in Ottawa calling for help from all levels of government.
The call comes almost a month after a large protest against "gender ideology" took place outside city schools and led to clashes with police and pro-LGBTQ counter-protesters.
That event in early June led to police arresting at least five people.
Another large protest and counter-protest took place June 28 outside a drag story time event at the National Arts Centre.
That same day Ottawa Police said a member of the LGBTQ community was assaulted and robbed by three youth in a "hate-motivated" crime.
"Recent events within our city are adding to safety concerns for members of some population segments who may be at greater risk of being victimized by hate motivated incidents and crimes," the police said in a news release.
LGBTQ advocate Fae Johnstone says the "hate-based incidents" in Ottawa reflect the rise in hate "happening all across this country."
"Our career spaces are under protest, online rhetoric that demonizes our community is on the rise, and I'm hearing from pride organizers, drag performers and community leaders that they're receiving death threats and other heinous attacks on their identity, and their very humanity," said Johnstone
Johnstone says she was targeted with death threats and online hate after being featured in Hershey Canada's International Women's Day campaign as a trans woman and appearing on the Tucker Carlson show.
"(The Hershey company) put security guards on me for seven days straight because the degree of threat targeting me was so severe that they were worried that it would lead to an in-person altercation," said Johnstone in the news conference.
"We can't let this be our new normal," said Johnstone.
She said the federal government in particular needs to step up and address the rise in hate, and to also "encourage and convene provinces and territories, municipalities and queer and trans organizations to meet this moment head-on."
"It is all too easy to imagine it can't happen here, but in 10 years of advocacy, I've never been as worried about where we'll be in five years as I am today," Johnstone said.
Several groups, including Capital Pride and the AIDS Committee of Ottawa, are seeking funding and support to combat the tirade of misinformation and hatred.
Johnstone says local LGBTQ support organizations "struggling on shoestring budgets with volunteers working nine-to-five jobs that have never been nine-to-five jobs" need additional resourcing to meet existing demand "resulting in increased hate."
She said the government should invest in community groups rather than police.
"As a city, we know we have more work to do. We know that our queer neighbours are struggling and that the weight is very heavy," said Ottawa city Coun. Laine Johnson in the news conference.
Rideau-Rockliffe Coun. Rawlson King said the city is continuing discussions with upper levels of government for funding toward programming addressing extremism against marginalized groups.
King says the city will also consult with marginalized groups through the budget process to consider reallocating funding to prioritize needs of their communities.
"We need to really direct more dollars around addressing extremism, around addressing anti-racism in our budget and so we're going to work on that," he said.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 4, 2023.
––—
This story was produced with the financial assistance of the Meta and Canadian Press News Fellowship.
Liam Fox, The Canadian Press
