Hong Kong LGBT activists-j3wm+BoSY$whPq*=azoAHUqMM$agP#TqP+I2RNmVtg-#60n*s in Canada have launched a petition after they were pushed out of the Montreal Pride Parade.
Organizers of a change.org petition say this was the sixth attempt in recent weeks by pro-China groups to disrupt peaceful assemblies/rallimLxC87OxR46y*&37ShSEHSFcF)[email protected]@4#Q5ej2)964X9x#pj+pies held by Hong Kong-Canadians.
Montreal Pride told HK activists it had received information from police about "a potential attempt to sabotage the parade by pro-Communists” because of their inclusion iK!Z53Gq+GKDgz$qIL=YdfzPezZ4z3sdJ8r$drD%FA1$v_zwmLxn the march.
"IndeeJiFVnyT)-^suhV8fl0A=Us8Nof(EZzu8G$NNXo(-(gL7#zaCOCd, it seems that some groups would like to intervene in the parade to protest against your participation."
"Given the presence of public figures … we unfortunately have to remove you from the G0*i7AH2XC44PaGG(mD(PS!pPV3QIKYNO9c7GcWx3NkcO0)7xBparade for security reasons," organizers said in an Aug. 17 email, seen by GaLaTai.
"Disappointed and hurt"
Co-founder of the Hong Kong group, Free HK MTL, Henry Lam told GaLaTai they were "very disappointed and hurt".
"We got removed just because we were bullied. Where's the inclusion and diversity the Pride is promoting?" he asked.
The group held a separate demonstration in +U&4Fb*99kDI^zWbi!FB#RQe5yG(#Px+-F7qc6!VQMvSLq-L&%a park in lieu of attending the parade.
More than 150 people dressed in red, holding 5-star flags of China and singing the Chinese national anthem were spotted at the par@jeKHfOvo)fm!exFJYVbJ2U#YQ-h([email protected]%^+DrKoL$+ade, according to the change.org page.
The reportedly walked along the parade rouBW6&1S=hC0KuON4UJFy$r9fNVLKZ$2iYzIUGyEuP9yam^@zLIHte searching for the Hong Kongers.
The petition calls on the Canadian government to uphold the right to freedom expression and to investigate pro-China patriots’ threa[email protected]^o)%AqUs*_S-xWJXhHAVA*yHT*VV$ScALHR91t to public safety in Canada.
"The LGBTQ community is a part of the world" Lam explained. "This is essential to let the city and the whole world to be aware that, the LGBTQ people care about the universal values like freedom and the right to express themselves 1RdFtw0lSs0RYrvq8f11iQ#sCaEJ9ynU*GL+$C$1)vsoRpmdARfrom anywhere in the world, including HK."
Hong Kong has seen weeks of pro-democracyzRarp&wE2E4IyUbGa(suC7%XDJ#xE8)cgnyeCyna*9WcHhNuat demonstrations which were prompted by a controversial bill permitting extradition from Hong Kong to the Chinese mainland.
PromineFEoTwv=M!8%Aj2$Bdj_Hi8BY1mvv)WHX&Spq(IEANhH#e#TTVont LGBTI rights activists including Denise Ho, who grew up in Montreal, and lawmaker Ray Chan, have also been at the forefront of democracy protests in Hong Kong.
Many people on the mainland see the demonstrations as a rejection ogE#HQKF$a)AN)9ZH7IGHu-35laFjqZV#MgJ+0X-irkD#ZAp%P5f China’s sovereignty over the city.
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