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Canada: Duelling SOGI rallies heated in Vancouver, but no major violence

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Anti-transgender demonstrators upset with B.C.’s school policy to help LGBTQ kids feel included clashed with counter protesters at the Vancouver Art Gallery Saturday. B.C.’s Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity, or SOGI 123, is a B.C. government set of resource materials designed to guide teachers in helping LGBTQ students feel included and to stop bullying that targets a child’s gender identity.

Hundreds of protesters shouted and waved placards. There was some pushing and shoving, but dozens of Vancouver police officers were on site, and did not report any major incidents. The were no arrests.

Outspoken critic of SOGI 123 Laura Lynn Tyler Thompson, who is running in the federal election for the far right People’s Party of Canada, argued with Morgane Oger, a well-known transgender rights and human rights activist. Officers separated the two, and they both walked away peacefully. Read more via Vancouver Sun

VANCOUVER (NEWS 1130) – Tensions ran high outside the Vancouver Art Gallery on Saturday when an anti-transgender rally was met with a counter-protest. Hundreds of protesters chanted, sang and waved their banners in duelling rallies in downtown Vancouver this morning. Tempers flared, prompting shouting and shoving but no major violence broke out. Read more via CityNews