Duelling protests planned for Vancouver as anti-SOGI and trans rights groups gather

It will be a morning of protests in Vancouver, with a rally and counter-rally planned at City Hall and the Vancouver Art Gallery.

Anti-SOGI and trans rights groups plan to be on the street starting at 8 a.m.

The ant-SOGI march is part of coordinated protests across the country this morning by a group calling itself ‘Hands Off Our Kids’ which is also promoting a petition asking federal leaders to “safeguard” children against teachings about sexual orientation and gender identity in the classroom, seeing them as a political agenda and inappropriate content, infringing upon parental rights.

SOGI is part of B.C.’s curriculum, meant to make schools safer and more inclusive, as well as to ensure no student faces discrimination based on their identity.

As the march starts at Vancouver City Hall, a counter-protest is also set to begin at the Vancouver Art Gallery organized by trans rights and 2SLGBTQ+ groups.
It’s being billed as a “party against hate,” with organizers saying the anti-SOGI march will “only further increase prejudice and hate,” adding that anti-trans sentiments are “taking up more and more space in public discourse.”

Events are planned at the art gallery throughout the day with the rally scheduled to join with a global climate strike protest at about 3:00 p.m.