Montreal LGBTQ+ community sees competing Pride parades

Montreal's LGBTQ+ community is experiencing competing Pride parades, with two major events taking place this year. The traditional Montreal Pride parade saw thousands of participants, including drag queens and community organizations, march through the city to celebrate their identity and raise awareness. Meanwhile, Wild Pride, organized by leftist LGBTQ+ groups, took to the streets as well, protesting corporate sponsorship, police presence, and colonialism.

Organizers of Montreal Pride, known as Fierté Montréal, said they increased security measures after a deadly attack at Berlin Pride last month. The organization also acknowledged the concerns raised by critics about the event becoming more of a party than a platform for activism. However, they emphasized that Pride Montreal is still both a celebration and a place for advocacy, with a renewed focus on community organizations, Indigenous groups, and marginalized communities.

Wild Pride, launched last year, brought together leftist LGBTQ+ groups to address issues such as corporate sponsorship, police involvement, and colonialism. The march featured chants like "Pride is a riot" and "We won't compromise on corporate Pride," with thousands of participants in the Plateau Mont-Royal borough. Wild Pride organizer Samya Lemrini stated that while nothing has changed in terms of leadership, the event remains committed to its original mission.

Angel Eyram Hounnou, a speaker at Wild Pride, emphasized the importance of remembering the history of the LGBTQ+ movement, from the 1969 Stonewall riots to the AIDS crisis and past police raids on gay clubs and bathhouses. She highlighted how queer existence has historically been about creating alternative communities and underground cultures due to the constant threat to the status quo.