Edmonton Pride Festival says it needed to work with police after receiving bomb threat
The Edmonton Pride Festival says it stands by the level of police presence it had at this year’s Pride parade, revealing it received a bomb threat leading up to the event.
A bomb threat prompted increased police visibility during Edmonton Pride Festival parade last weekend, sparking criticism from some members of the 2SLGBTQ+ community. Edmonton Police Service deputy Chief Nicole Chapdelaine stated that the threat was determined to be not credible, though its impact and fear caused were not minimized.
The additional security came after previous incidents in Vancouver and Berlin. While some community members felt the police presence lacked clear explanation, Pride organizers apologized for the way the decision was communicated, expressing remorse for leaving attendees questioning their safety. Edmonton Pride Festival executive producer Trevor Watson said the organization stood by working with police but was limited in disclosing details at the time.
Chapdelaine added that police were responding to organizers' requests to help ensure the event's safety. The issue highlights the complex relationship between law enforcement and 2SLGBTQ+ communities, shaped by historical mistreatment and contrasting views on policing. Edmonton Pride Festival plans a mediation forum in the fall to discuss lessons learned from this year's controversy and improve future handling of similar situations.
Written by urgent.news from Global News's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
This story
This is one outlet's version. Read the fullest account.
