Reports and Video: Anti-Trans far-right shut down across the country

Far-right forces in Canada are targeting Drag Queen Story Time (DQST) events and are trying to build their base with an anti-Trans movement. There has been a steady rise in attacks against people from the 2SLGBTQ+ community over the last couple of years as the right tries to use the issue to build a base of support.

 

But across Canada last weekend they were humiliated as hundreds stood up for Trans rights and swamped the bigots.

 

In Peterborough, more than 200 people met at the downtown library to oppose about 20 people trying to spread hate. The far right-group was a mix of convoy participants and right wing Christians with some white supremacist groups who came from Renfrew to join the rally.

 

Chants of, “Hate hurts kids - drag queens don’t" filled the streets and were loud enough to drown out the hate being spewed. It was a very good victory but there are upcoming DQST events that will need to be defended to shut down this latest foray by the rightwing.

 

"Love wins!"

 

On Saturday around 500 people flocked to the Coquitlam Public Library to defend Conni Smudge and her Drag Queen Story Time from the far right. The crowd danced and partied, protecting the library and children inside. The bigots only managed to muster a couple of dozen to protest the event. Supporters brought a sound system and we danced the bigots off the street.

 

The bigots draped themselves in Canadian flags and had RCMP officers there to help them. The police ignored the bigot's pickup truck that was parked in a two away fire zone. The bigots tried to use the back of the truck to shout and wave their messages of hate, but they were drowned out by the crowd and rainbow flags and signs covered them up. When the bigots tried to get into the crowd or close to the library the RCMP were there to serve and protect the bigots.

 

After story time, Conni greeted her supporters outside the library with the words, "Love wins!”

 

Similar stories from Calgary and Sault Ste Marie showed that when communities join to stop the hate they can shut the far ight down. 

 

To learn more about the issue, please watch the video below of our forum, Stop the Hate - The Far-Right and trans rights from January 15 where long time Trans Rights activist Alex Adams speaks about this new round of attacks and fits it onto the larger context of the growth of far-right forces.