Montreal Pride parade was suddenly canceled. That didn’t stop hundreds from marching in the streets

A scene from Montreal Pride 2017
Photo: Wikimedia Commons

Hundreds of people marched in the streets of Montreal, Canada on Sunday even though the city’s official Pride parade planned for that day was canceled due to a lack of security staff along the route.

Montreal Pride’s organizers announced the parade’s cancellation during the weekend, stating that the parade lacked 80 security staff members needed to help protect marchers. Organizers said they reached their decision after consulting with city police.

“It’s heartbreaking,” Simon Gamache, executive director of Montreal Pride, told the Canadian Radio Broadcasting Commission (CBC). He blamed labor shortages across Quebec and beyond, COVID-19 cases, and heatstroke all contributed to the staffing difficulties.

“We hope that we’re able to organize something else in the next few weeks, few months to replace what we unfortunately had to cancel today,” Gamache added. He has since said that the hiring of security staff never occurred and has pledged to conduct an internal investigation, although he acknowledges that as executive director, the responsibility ultimately landed upon him.

At a news conference held Sunday morning, Montreal Mayor Valérie Plante expressed shock at the unexpected cancellation.

“My frustration this morning is…

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