Rad Pride Montreal witnessed clashes as queer activists protested against corporate pinkwashing and the Palestinian genocide, transforming the standoff into a defiant dance party.
On the eve of Montreal Pride celebrations, a queer solidarity demonstration in the city’s Gay Village escalated into a confrontation with police amid tensions over the corporate and Zionist co-opting of LGBTQ+ issues and the ongoing genocide of Palestinians by the Israeli colonial state.
The demonstration, which took place on Saturday night, was part of the annual “Rad Pride” protest against the capitalist and colonial pink-washing of Pride. Protesters specifically targeted Fierté Montréal, accusing the organization of aligning with corporations that profit from resource extraction, colonial occupation, and apartheid, particularly in relation to Israel’s most recent atrocities in occupied Palestine.
The protest began relatively peacefully, with demonstrators marching through the streets of the Gay Village along Saint-Catherine Street. While many onlookers expressed solidarity, a few voiced their displeasure as the protesters passed. However, the atmosphere quickly changed as police began to intervene.
Tensions escalated when officers started shoving demonstrators, leading to a series of clashes that spilled over into nearby establishments. Onlookers from bars and restaurants were caught up in the chaos as riot police moved in, forcing patrons on nearby patios to flee. The police attempted to arrest several demonstrators who were cornered against a wooden patio fence, flipping tables and chairs in their efforts.
Montreal police soon declared the demonstration an illegal assembly, but protesters refused to disperse. Instead, they remained determined to continue their march. Riot police responded by blocking the demonstrators’ path and surrounding the protest in a kettle formation, a tactic used to contain and control crowds.
The situation drew increasing attention from the local Gay Village community, with many onlookers beginning to question the police’s heavy-handed tactics. Some demanded that the march be allowed to proceed.
In response to the police blockade, the protest action took an unexpected turn. Unable to continue their march, the demonstrators transformed the standoff into a spontaneous dance party, turning the confrontation into a celebration of queer solidarity.
The dance party lasted for nearly an hour, with riot police standing by as protesters danced defiantly. Just before midnight, the police eventually withdrew from the scene, receiving a mockingly thoughtful send-off from the crowd.
The demonstration was part of a broader effort by queer and pro-Palestinian activists to hold Fierté Montréal accountable for what they see as the organization’s failure to address the ongoing genocide and humanitarian crisis in Palestine. Groups like Helem Montreal, Mubaadarat, Independent Jewish Voices, and Sapphix have been actively engaging with Fierté Montréal over the past several months, demanding that the organization take a clear stance on the issue. Their demands include acknowledging the genocide of the Palestinian people, denouncing pink-washing, disavowing corporate sponsors linked to the Israeli military, and banning Israeli flags from Pride events.
Despite multiple meetings and public appeals, Fierté Montréal has refused to meet these demands, citing its status as a festival to justify its neutral stance. This response has deeply frustrated activists, who argue that neutrality in situations of injustice only serves to support the oppressor.
The protest on Saturday night, and the subsequent clashes with police, were a clear demonstration of the community’s refusal to be silenced or intimidated.
In the end, the Montreal radical queer community remains undeterred by police brutality and intimidation. Their message is clear: there can be no Pride without liberation for all, and they will continue to fight against complicity in oppression, both locally and globally.
Spark Solidarity 