Protesters and counter-protesters likely to clash downtown ...

Police and city officials are on alert as protesters and counter-protesters are set to face off downtown Wednesday.

The demonstration has been organized by groups that identify themselves as #1MillionMarch4Children and Hands Off Our Kids. It is scheduled to start downtown Wednesday morning as part of a number of demonstrations to be held across Canada.

The Ottawa demonstration is scheduled to begin at 9 a.m. on Wellington Street at Parliament Hill. In other cities, protests are being held in front of city halls, school boards and provincial legislatures. There are more than two dozen locations with planned protests in Ontario alone.

Although it’s unclear how many people will participate as protesters and counter-protesters, parking, roads, traffic and transit may be affected, according to the City of Ottawa. The demonstration may include an impromptu march around 11 a.m. Wednesday.

City bylaw officers will be out to enforce parking regulations and restrictions. Vehicles found in violation will be ticketed or towed.

“Temporary traffic delays and road closures may occur during the demonstration, especially near Parliament Hill,” the city has warned. The city’s online traffic map offers a list of traffic disruptions on a ward-by-ward basis. The city also has an X (formerly Twitter) account devoted to traffic.

OC Transpo plans to maintain regular service during the demonstration, with service maintained with detours, if necessary. If extended road closures occur, they will be posted on OC Transpo alerts. The latest transit information is available by calling 613-560-5000 or following OC Transpo’s X account.

Q: Will there be a higher-than-usual police presence for public safety?

A: In a statement, the Ottawa Police Service (OPS) said it is aware of reports of the demonstrations and is working with municipal and policing partners on integrated operational plans.

“It is the role of police to ensure that community safety is upheld, laws are enforced, and lawful demonstrations are allowed, said OPS in a statement. “Police presence does not indicate support for any cause.”

Q: What’s the subject of the protest?

A: MillionMarch4Children says it is “uniting diverse backgrounds and faiths. We share a resolute purpose: advocating for the elimination of the Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity (SOGI) curriculum, pronouns, gender ideology and mixed bathrooms in schools.”

Community Solidarity Ottawa, which includes a coalition of Ottawa labour unions and community groups, says the demonstration’s aim is to eliminate trans-inclusive curriculums and policies from public schools in the name of parental rights. It is calling on supporters to take part in a counter-protest “to demonstrate Ottawa’s unwavering support and opposition to a thinly veiled agenda of homophobia and transphobia concealed behind the rhetoric of ‘parental rights.’ ”

Q: Who are the march organizers?

A: According to the Canadian Anti-Hate Network, an independent nonprofit that researches hate groups, the protests are supported by “a big tent of far-right and conspiratorial groups, including Christian Nationalists, COVID-19 conspiracy theorists, sovereign citizens, and anti-public education activists.”

There are at least two “brands” involved in the planned events, said the Anti-Hate Network. Hands Off Our Kids and Family (heart) Freedom are organizing under the hashtag #MillionMarch4Children. Hands Off Our Kids is run by conservative Muslim activists who have made explicit anti-gay and anti-LGBTQ+ statements, while Family (heart) Freedom is more secular and claims to accept 2SLGBTQ+ persons as part of their anti-2SLGBTQ+ demonstration, said the network.

There is a significant amount of internal conflict and confusion within the social media groups for each “brand” and the degree of local organizing varies widely, according to the network. Some of the protest locations seem to only have a poster created by one of the national organizers, with no obvious local buy-in. Other locations have march routes, event sponsors and local contact names.

“Some planned protests appear to be supported by both brands, but others appear to only be organized or supported by one of the two. In some cases, protests seem to be planned for two separate locations within a city at the same time.”

Q: What have Muslim groups said about the protest? 

A: In a joint statement, the Muslim Association of Canada and the Canadian Council of Imams said neither organization has played a role in organizing the protest and the two groups lack sufficient information about the parties involved in different cities.

“While we do not endorse the march, we respect the freedom to protest peacefully. We do not discourage individuals from making the decision to attend. We advise all participants to behave in a legally and morally responsible manner.”

But there also appears to be some concerns about the potential for violence.

The joint statement said the Muslim Association of Canada and the Canadian Council of Imams recognizes that the intended purpose is to maintain the rights of parents to be actively involved in their children’s educations and to uphold their religious beliefs, but also expressed concern about “certain groups who might attempt to divert attention away from this purpose, possibly incite violence or harm. We call upon all groups to reject such attempts publicly and forcibly.”

Q: Will there be children there? 

A: It’s likely. Organizers have encouraged students to participate in a “national school walkout” and parents have brought small children to previous protests. In a video posted to X, march organizer Kamel El-Cheikh said the demonstration is “a peaceful protest that has kids and their families.”

Q: What have school boards said? 

A: Both the Ottawa-Carleton District School Board and the Ottawa Catholic School Board say student safety is a priority.

The Ottawa-Carleton District School Board was unaware of any planned demonstrations at schools or if students and their families are participating.

“The OCDSB actively supports our legal and ethical responsibility to uphold the rights of the 2SLGBTQ+ community,” said the public board.

Principals are aware of the upcoming protests in Ottawa this week, said a statement from the Ottawa Catholic School Board. “According to reports, the protests will begin at Parliament Hill, but we have no information suggesting that any of our schools will be directly affected. We are unaware of planned protests at or near our schools.”

If parents, guardians or students choose to participate in the protests in downtown Ottawa, the student’s absence will be marked as approved, said the Catholic board. “They will be responsible for making up any missed work, similar to absences due to illness, sports tournaments, or other extracurricular activities outside school.”

Q: Will there be counter-protests?

A: Count on it. Community Solidarity Ottawa, which names the Ottawa District Labour Council, Capital Pride, Horizon Ottawa and other unions and community groups as allies, has called local activists “to prepare for counter-protests by joining forces with community partners and unions to ensure safety.”

The counter-protesters are set to rally in front of the Supreme Court of Canada on Wednesday at 9 a.m.

“This isn’t a march for children. It’s a march against safe schools, fuelled by conspiracy theories, misinformation and anti-queer sentiment,” said Fae Johnstone, president of the Society of Queer Momentum in a statement. “All students deserve safe classrooms and inclusive environments. Together, we can create better and more inclusive schools for everyone.”

In his video, El-Cheikh warned counter-protesters that they are being watched. “And we will make sure every Pride festival, every Pride event will be met with a counter-protest.”

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