Black Lives Matter Toronto Sit-In
Photograph
Image
Video
Audio
Activities
Think
Why do you think BLM-Toronto chose to stop the parade with a sit-in?
Do
Watch the video An Evening with Desmond Cole and write down examples of police violence against Black people in Canada.
Details
Date July 4, 2016
Materials - Photograph
Historical Context
Choose one of the three levels below to match your needs.
- This photograph depicts a sit-in by Black Lives Matter (BLM) Toronto at the Toronto Pride Parade in July 2016.
- BLM demands included removing police from participation in the Pride parade, increased funding, and better representation of minority groups at Pride events.
- The demand to remove police officers from Pride speaks to a history of police violence against racialized groups and 2SLGBTQIA+ communities.
This photograph captures a sit-in by Black Lives Matter (BLM) Toronto at the Toronto Pride Parade in July 2016.
BLM Toronto organized the sit-in to bring attention to ongoing concerns affecting Black trans and queer communities, as well as other marginalized groups.
The sit-in lasted a half hour, until Pride Toronto leaders signed an agreement to work on implementing BLM demands. These demands included removal of police participation in the Parade, restoration of community spaces, increased funding, and improved representation of marginalized communities going forward.
Although 2SLGBTQIA+ communities in Canada have long been a target of police operations, Black and racialized members of the community face additional forms of over-policing. Part of BLM’s work has focused on fighting ongoing discrimination, racial profiling, and systemic racism within policing and the criminal justice system.
This photograph captures a sit-in by Black Lives Matter (BLM) Toronto at the Toronto Pride Parade in July 2016.
BLM Toronto had been invited to lead that year’s Pride Parade. They organized a sit-in during the event in order to bring attention to ongoing concerns affecting Black trans and queer communities, as well as other marginalized groups. The sit-in effectively brought festivities to a standstill for more than a half hour.
The demands of BLM organizers included removal of police participation in the Parade, restoration of community spaces, increased funding, and improved representation of marginalized communities going forward.
This photograph shows BLM protesters during the sit-in, which lasted a half-hour, until Pride Toronto leaders signed an agreement to work on implementing BLM demands. Of particular importance to BLM protesters was the issue of police participation in Pride, which has historically been a source of debate for Pride events across the country.
Although 2SLGBTQIA+ communities in Canada have long been a target of police operations, Black and racialized members of the community face added pressure from over-policing. Part of BLM’s work has been focused on calling out ongoing discrimination, racial profiling, and systemic racism in policing and the justice system.
- This photograph depicts a sit-in by Black Lives Matter (BLM) Toronto at the Toronto Pride Parade in July 2016.
- BLM demands included removing police from participation in the Pride parade, increased funding, and better representation of minority groups at Pride events.
- The demand to remove police officers from Pride speaks to a history of police violence against racialized groups and 2SLGBTQIA+ communities.
This photograph captures a sit-in by Black Lives Matter (BLM) Toronto at the Toronto Pride Parade in July 2016.
BLM Toronto organized the sit-in to bring attention to ongoing concerns affecting Black trans and queer communities, as well as other marginalized groups.
The sit-in lasted a half hour, until Pride Toronto leaders signed an agreement to work on implementing BLM demands. These demands included removal of police participation in the Parade, restoration of community spaces, increased funding, and improved representation of marginalized communities going forward.
Although 2SLGBTQIA+ communities in Canada have long been a target of police operations, Black and racialized members of the community face additional forms of over-policing. Part of BLM’s work has focused on fighting ongoing discrimination, racial profiling, and systemic racism within policing and the criminal justice system.
This photograph captures a sit-in by Black Lives Matter (BLM) Toronto at the Toronto Pride Parade in July 2016.
BLM Toronto had been invited to lead that year’s Pride Parade. They organized a sit-in during the event in order to bring attention to ongoing concerns affecting Black trans and queer communities, as well as other marginalized groups. The sit-in effectively brought festivities to a standstill for more than a half hour.
The demands of BLM organizers included removal of police participation in the Parade, restoration of community spaces, increased funding, and improved representation of marginalized communities going forward.
This photograph shows BLM protesters during the sit-in, which lasted a half-hour, until Pride Toronto leaders signed an agreement to work on implementing BLM demands. Of particular importance to BLM protesters was the issue of police participation in Pride, which has historically been a source of debate for Pride events across the country.
Although 2SLGBTQIA+ communities in Canada have long been a target of police operations, Black and racialized members of the community face added pressure from over-policing. Part of BLM’s work has been focused on calling out ongoing discrimination, racial profiling, and systemic racism in policing and the justice system.
Summary
- This photograph depicts a sit-in by Black Lives Matter (BLM) Toronto at the Toronto Pride Parade in July 2016.
- BLM demands included removing police from participation in the Pride parade, increased funding, and better representation of minority groups at Pride events.
- The demand to remove police officers from Pride speaks to a history of police violence against racialized groups and 2SLGBTQIA+ communities.
Essential
This photograph captures a sit-in by Black Lives Matter (BLM) Toronto at the Toronto Pride Parade in July 2016.
BLM Toronto organized the sit-in to bring attention to ongoing concerns affecting Black trans and queer communities, as well as other marginalized groups.
The sit-in lasted a half hour, until Pride Toronto leaders signed an agreement to work on implementing BLM demands. These demands included removal of police participation in the Parade, restoration of community spaces, increased funding, and improved representation of marginalized communities going forward.
Although 2SLGBTQIA+ communities in Canada have long been a target of police operations, Black and racialized members of the community face additional forms of over-policing. Part of BLM’s work has focused on fighting ongoing discrimination, racial profiling, and systemic racism within policing and the criminal justice system.
In-Depth
This photograph captures a sit-in by Black Lives Matter (BLM) Toronto at the Toronto Pride Parade in July 2016.
BLM Toronto had been invited to lead that year’s Pride Parade. They organized a sit-in during the event in order to bring attention to ongoing concerns affecting Black trans and queer communities, as well as other marginalized groups. The sit-in effectively brought festivities to a standstill for more than a half hour.
The demands of BLM organizers included removal of police participation in the Parade, restoration of community spaces, increased funding, and improved representation of marginalized communities going forward.
This photograph shows BLM protesters during the sit-in, which lasted a half-hour, until Pride Toronto leaders signed an agreement to work on implementing BLM demands. Of particular importance to BLM protesters was the issue of police participation in Pride, which has historically been a source of debate for Pride events across the country.
Although 2SLGBTQIA+ communities in Canada have long been a target of police operations, Black and racialized members of the community face added pressure from over-policing. Part of BLM’s work has been focused on calling out ongoing discrimination, racial profiling, and systemic racism in policing and the justice system.