The Toronto Pride Parade was shut down by Palestinian activists on Saturday who sat in the roadway on Yonge and Wellesley Streets. "Free, free Palestine, free, free, free Palestine," they chanted in a refrain that has become familiar in recent months.
The action prompted police to cancel the remainder of the parade entirely. "The remainder of the parade has been cancelled by @PrideToronto," the police said. "Officers are on the ground to facilitate the safe movement of people and vehicles/floats." A street fair and stages were still "operational."
The protesters, with their signs to "end pinkwashing," stopped the parade from moving forward entirely. They waved Progress Flags, banged drums, and chanted throught megaphones. Some of the protesters wrapped themselves in keffiyehs and refused to move out of the street.
"In our millions, in our billions," they chanted, "we are all Palestinians."
"From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free," they continued, while carrying a banner reading "No Pride in apartheid."
"No Pride in genocide," they chanted. The crowd of Pride parade goers chanted along with the prosters and they all seemed to be in agreement, which made it hard to tell who was being protested.
A heavy-set woman with purple hair wearing a face mask and a keffiyeh on her shoulders screamed about the corporations and sponsors of the Pride parade, including Scotia Bank, TD Bank, Google and Amazon. The complaints were that they invest in Israeli companies or support the colonization of "Turtle Island," an indigenous phrase for North America, or something.
"We are disgusted," she screamed. Then she complained "Why are we marching with the American Consulate?" The activist said America was complicit in aiding to "kill Palestinians with umpunity."
The crowd chanted "shame" as the activist listed companies that were spending their money to sponsor the event she was marching in.
"There is only one solution, intifada revolution," they chanted. The parade route was cleared by police.